For the eighth straight year, Longwood’s police department has been named one of the top university security operations in the country.

The only Virginia college or university to make the list, Longwood is ranked No. 15 in the country in the higher education category in the annual list published by Security Magazine.

“Our continued ranking at the top of this list is evidence of the work Longwood University police officers put in every day to make this campus one of the safest in the country,” said Col. Bob Beach, LUPD chief. “We strive to look for ways to improve, become more efficient and integrate new technology in our approach to keeping our community safe — and those efforts have paid dividends.”

The Longwood Police Department was front and center during the 2016 Vice Presidential Debate on Oct. 4 — an event where there were no arrests or major medical emergencies.

“When the spotlight was greatest, the Longwood Police Department shone bright,” said Beach. “Our staff put on a display of strategic planning and flexibility when working with some of the top federal agencies in the country.”