A photo of a man in a police uniform holding a fake blue gun and standing. Around him is police caution tape and behind him is a black SUV and a white and blue van that reads \"Richmond POLICE\"
A VCU Police officer holds a training weapon during an active threat training exercise March 6, 2025. (Photo by Kevin Morley, VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

VCU Police holding two active threat trainings on Dec. 17

The morning and nighttime drills will be held at Shafer Court Dining Center on the Monroe Park Campus.

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Virginia Commonwealth University Police and Emergency Management will host two realistic training exercises on the Monroe Park Campus on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at Shafer Court Dining Center, 810 Cathedral Place.

The simulations will include the use of realistic weapons, training weapons, a significant law enforcement presence and volunteer actors with makeup mimicking realistic injuries.

The exercises are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon and then from 10 p.m. to midnight. Community members will receive VCU Alert text messages before, at the start and at the conclusion of each drill.

Members of the media are invited to observe the morning training session and speak with representatives from VCU Police. Please RSVP to Jake Burns, VCU Police public information officer, by 9 a.m. Dec. 17 for details.

While most activity related to the training will take place inside Shafer Court Dining Center, community members traveling through the Monroe Park Campus will see law enforcement and emergency management personnel staging outside the main entrance during the two timeframes.

Shafer Court Dining Center will be closed to the public. There are no sidewalk or road closures related to the exercise, except for the area immediately adjacent to the front entrance.

VCU Police will remain fully staffed during both drills. Community members can always report emergencies by calling 804-828-1234 or using the LiveSafe app. The VCU Police nonemergency line is 804-828-1234.