Willie B. Fuller was born in Richmond and grew up in Short Pump.
As an art student, Fuller was accepted to VCU in 1976.
Although Fuller was at school, there was a major hurdle preventing him from achieving an art degree: he needed to pay for art supplies.
“Art supplies were expensive, so I got a job as a student security officer,” he said.
Fuller started his career as a student security officer, but in 1979 he became a patrol officer for the VCU Police Department, putting his education on hold.
He worked as a patrol officer at VCU until 1992, when he left to pursue an opportunity with the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control department. In 1996, he became police chief of the Virginia State University police department. On Dec. 10, 2000, Fuller returned to VCU as the university’s police chief.
Fuller completed an inter-studies degree with a focus in law enforcement in 2005.
Fuller is unmarried and has a daughter from a previous relationship. His daughter Megan, 27, has two children.