renaissance man
Every time Barbara Boyd shuttled Collegiate’s athletic teams to practices or games, she reported back to her husband Harry, a Henrico County police officer, what a great part-time job she had. The atmosphere was something special, she told him. The people were so nice, polite, and friendly. The time she spent driving the bus simply flew by.
Then last fall, the school advertised for the new position of campus safety and security manager. The opportunity piqued the interest of the 29-year HCPD veteran, and before long, he was here for a round of interviews.
One thing led to another, and on March 17, Boyd moved into his quarters adjacent to the physical plant offices in the West Gym. Until his furniture arrived a few days later, his accommodations were Spartan: a desk and chair surrounded by bare, freshly-painted, white cinderblock walls. Despite the absence of accoutrements, though, Boyd’s gregarious, animated nature and far-ranging conversation brought a reminder that when he hung out his shingle, Collegiate got not just its first full-time safety and security guy but a Renaissance man as well.
“I’ll take that,” he said, a broad smile crossing his face at the reference to his aesthetic side. “I consider that a high compliment. Feel free to spread that rumor any chance you get.”
Boyd is supremely qualified to handle the job for which he was hired, of course. A Richmond native, he earned two degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University (a B.S. in administration of justice with a minor in psychology and an M.S. in criminal justice) and completed work toward a PhD in public administration, also at VCU.
He worked two years for the Crewe (VA) police department and five years for the VCU campus police, then signed on with Henrico County February 28, 1979.
During his tenure, most of which he’s spent in uniform operations, he was instrumental in creating two special units, the mounted patrol and the civil disturbance team, both of which have been nationally recognized. For 20 years, his beat included the area around Collegiate. The last 5, he served as an aide in the chief’s office.
“It was a wonderful career,” he explained. “I wasn’t looking to leave. But, wow, an opportunity like this doesn’t present itself very often.”
Boyd’s responsibility is to centralize a variety of jobs already in place.
Ensure the security of students, faculty and staff, and visitors as they move about the North Mooreland Road and Robins campuses.
Ensure the security of all facilities.
Update the emergency management plan.
“I want to get in on the ground level of the planning process,” he explained, “so that procedures are built in rather than our having to retrofit something that’s not working.
“You guys are already safe here. This is a great area where very little happens. Collegiate has a really good relationship with the community. “It’s important to continue that.”
If Boyd’s professional résumé looks impressive, check out what he does when he actually has spare time.
He’s a history buff with a focus on the Civil War era. A gifted writer, he’s published a book, Specters at the Inn, about the supposedly haunted Cashtown Inn, now a bed and breakfast but during the Battle of Gettysburg the headquarters of Gen. A.P. Hill.
He’s served as a site historian for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
He’s a Shakespeare aficionado and has another book, Macbeth is Ripe for Shaking, in the works.
He loves music, mainly classical and jazz.
He’s played the drums since he was 8 and is currently the percussionist for a band called Main Street.
At one time, he played with The Force, a group of Henrico police officers who performed in uniform throughout the state and even on national television in conjunction with the DARE program.
He enjoys horseback riding.
He’s taught criminal law courses at VCU and John Tyler Community College and has taught at the police academy in Henrico and other localities throughout the state.
He’s a voracious reader and sometimes has three books going at once.
Whew! That’s enough for the moment. Time was tight before.
Now, he’s settling into his quarters, enjoying his new responsibilities, and reveling in the challenges ahead of him.
“I knew this was a magnificent operation,” he said, “but I really didn’t know what a great place Collegiate was until I talked to people during the interview process. Now, it’s, like, wow! You reach a new height every time I show up over here.”
