December 22, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

UMW Police Care About YOU: Get Your Valentine’s Day Carnation, Feb. 14

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red carnationValentine’s Day is coming up, and your UMW Police Department would like to say that we care about the UMW Community and we care about YOU.

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, campus police officers will be onCampus Walk in front of Lee Hall giving a free carnation to those who stop by as a token of our appreciation. We hope that this small gesture will cultivate greater appreciation for one another and enhance relationships not only with your police department but with each other.

It’s hard to believe it was three years ago that I created a video at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic playing off of how many of us felt upside down. It’s been a challenging time, but the path forward appears positive. I’m encouraged and excited to see campus activity in full force, while we continue to maintain self-care and comply with community guidelines.

UMW Police continues to assist community members who are dealing with difficult situations, and we remain vigilant toward those who unexpectedly find themselves in crisis. We work closely with our colleagues across campus to ensure we are providing resources and support. You are our top priority and we remain committed to being there for you.

Your Police Department Cares about YOU. We look forward to seeing youTuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 – Valentine’s Day – on Campus Walk starting at 10 a.m. We will be there until we run out of carnations.

Meanwhile, if you are feeling anxious, threatened, concerned or upside down for any reason, please try one of the tools or reach out to one of the offices listed on our Safety Resources page.

Stay safe – and smile!

Mike Hall
Chief, UMW Police

P.S. Check out my video from last year!

Virtual Town Hall Addresses Campus ‘Hurt’

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UMW President Troy Paino addressed an audience of concerned students yesterday afternoon during a virtual town hall meeting.

The event – planned for an hour but extended by 15 minutes to allow more students to speak – was called in light of protests taking place throughout the country and in the Fredericksburg area since the May 25 murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

“I just wanted to let you all know that my mind and my heart have been with you over the past week and a half, and really since we left each other back in March,” Paino said at the start of the session, hosted live via Zoom.

While a number of faculty and staff members expressed interest in participating, President Paino wanted to have an exclusive conversation with students. Their concerns centered on the presence of UMW Police Sunday night during a protest when city police used tear gas to displace protesters. Other topics included the university’s stance on systemic racism and on the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Black lives do matter,” said Vice President for Equity and Access Sabrina Johnson, who joined Paino yesterday as a panelist, along with UMW Police Chief Mike Hall. “I want to mention the names our leaders mention: Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd. I want their names to be in this space during this very important discussion.”

Just hours before Floyd’s first memorial service was set to be begin in Minneapolis, students took their turns onscreen to pose questions to Paino, who told them that he has lined up discussions with Fredericksburg officials, including the police chief, city manager and mayor. The university is committed to working through what happened, he said, and to maintaining transparency in communicating those findings.

Paino pledged that UMW will continue its efforts to recruit a more diverse faculty and to live by its code of community values, also known as ASPIRE. He acknowledged his intent to join in solidarity with students who planned a peaceful walk from Mary Washington to Fredericksburg’s Market Square this afternoon. The march, officially announced in a UMW email today from Student Government Association President Kyree Ford,was meant to support students of color and “to show the campus community that black lives matter and hate has no home at Mary Washington.”

UMW Publishes Annual Security Report

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The University of Mary Washington’s Annual Security Report has been published for 2018. This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University of Mary Washington, and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

Also included is information that addresses UMW’s policies, procedures and programs concerning safety and security. For example, policies for responding to emergency situations and sexual offenses or sexual misconduct are included.

You may obtain a copy of this report at the UMW Police Department at Brent Hall, phone number 540-654-1025, or by accessing the following website: https://www.umw.edu/police/2018-annual-security-report/.

If you have any questions regarding this year’s Annual Security Report, please contact Chief Mike Hall by email at mhall2@umw.edu.

UMW Police Department Achieves Accreditation

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The UMW Police Department has become only the fifth campus police agency in the commonwealth to achieve accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC), the accrediting agency in Virginia.

The milestone is also a first in the history of UMW Police.

Out of 340 police agencies in the commonwealth–campus departments or otherwise–only 100 have attained VLEPSC accreditation.

Chief Mike Hall set accreditation as a priority for the agency when he took the helm four years ago. The voluntary process enhances the quality of service and credibility of law enforcement agencies.

“It’s a huge accomplishment that goes to the commitment of the whole department,” Hall said.