Association News

Dear IACLEA members,

Although I understand the challenging circumstances, we face as a community dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our campuses. It is with a heavy heart that I bring to your attention the unfortunate incident involving Officer Bruce Foster of Virginia State University, who was shot and wounded on duty early Sunday morning, responding to a disturbance call. As of the latest update, Officer Foster is reported to be in stable condition, and our thoughts and prayers are with him for a full and speedy recovery.

IACLEA stands ready to provide support and assistance to the VSU police department and campus community during this challenging time. Our commitment to fostering collaboration and sharing resources is unwavering.

This unfortunate event reinforces the need for continuous exploration of strategies to enhance officer safety and wellness on campuses. Our duty as leaders in campus law enforcement and public safety is to minimize campus violence and safeguard the security of our officers, students, faculty, and visitors to our campus communities. It is through shared knowledge, best practices, and a commitment to ongoing training that we can collectively work towards creating safer environments for all.

I encourage each of you to reach out to one another, share best practices, and engage in open dialogue about the challenges our officers face. Let us use this moment as a catalyst for strengthening our bonds and collectively addressing the issues that impact the safety of our campuses.

Please keep Officer Foster, his family, and the entire Virginia State University police department in your thoughts and prayers. If there are specific ways in which IACLEA can support department training, please do not hesitate to reach out to at paul.dean@unh.edu or IACLEA Executive Director Paul Cell at pcell@iaclea.org

Together, we can make a difference and create safer environments for everyone under our watch.

Sincerely,

Chief Paul H. Dean

President, IACLEA