VCU Police take to Twitter in first Town Hall

Janeal Downs

Contributing Writer

In an attempt to appeal to students more directly, VCU Police took to Twitter on Wednesday, Sept. 5 for a Twitter Town Hall, where VCU Police Chief John Venuti answered participants' questions as well as asked for community input on new police initiatives, like this year's new G4S security units.

Chief Venuti asked Twitter followers what they thought of the new patrols.

Laura McLay, an assistant professor of operations research, told VCU Police via Twitter that her opinion on the G4S patrols “depends on whether I get mugged on the way to my car in the evenings, especially after it gets dark by 5 p.m.”

G4S patrols run from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and Venuti said VCU Police try to deploy patrols to areas with heavy pedestrian use in the evening and night hours.

Venuti did say they are open to changing their schedule to meet the needs of the community.

The G4S security patrols are currently in a 16-week pilot period. According to the press release informing students and staff of the use of the G4S patrols, there has been a decrease in larcenies and an increase in robberies.

Larcenies are simple theft. Robberies are theft with an incident of force or violence involved.

The use of the G4S security vehicles allow for a more “visible presence” of the police force on campus, according to the statement.

Along with using social media, the G4S patrols are another resource for the VCU Police department to get insight on what is going on around campus.

The VCU police department has had a 19 percent increase in followers on Twitter and an 139 percent increase of likes on their Facebook page.

According to Venuti, the original goal of using social media was to appeal to the younger demographic VCUPD serves. Before, the police department could receive information from anonymous texts students could send as part of the VCUtip program.

VCU police now use their tip program, their website and social media to give and receive information. Venuti said that the VCU police plan to not only keep up with future social media outlets, but to be “five steps in front of the new technology.”

Adam Crowe, the director of Emergency Preparedness at VCU, organized the Town Hall event and said he hopes the concept can be used on a monthly or quarterly basis to discuss other safety issues, including residential safety and severe weather preparedness. CT