RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Commonwealth University says it’s the first public institution of higher education in the state certified as a crime prevention campus.

The distinction comes from the Virginia Criminal Justice Services Board. VCU Police Chef John Venuti accepted the honors on Thursday.

To be certified, a college or university must detail crime prevention goals, programs and accomplishments. All told, a certified crime prevention campus is required to have 11 core safety elements.

VCU will retain the certification for three years.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.