RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Police Chief John A. Venuti has been promoted to assistant vice president for public safety and will oversee the VCU Police Department and VCU Emergency Preparedness operations.
The move, effective Nov. 10, is part of a restructuring process to better coordinate safety and preparedness at VCU, claims the school in a press release. In his new role, Venuti will continue to serve as chief of police with sworn law enforcement status.
Also part of VCU’s public safety restructuring, Assistant Chief Christopher Preuss is now director of police operations and will coordinate the department’s daily operation. Capt. H. Michael O’Berry is assistant director of police operations, overseeing crime prevention, traffic officers, property/evidence and VCU Health System security. Capt. Sean Ingram continues to oversee patrol operations, and the department will seek to fill a vacancy for a captain overseeing support services. Emergency Communications Manager Tanya Brown is interim director of communications and security, overseeing academic security, residence hall security and the department’s on-campus dispatch center.
VCU employs the largest campus law enforcement agency in Virginia and one of the largest in the nation, with 92 sworn officers, more than 200 security personnel, civilian employees, an on-campus dispatch center and an accredited police academy.
