Academy Certification

Criminal justice officers are required to comply with minimum training requirements at certified criminal justice academies. Academy certification establishes minimal levels of acceptance for policies, practices, lesson plans, the delivery of training and facility in which it is conducted.

Academy Funding

Monies are devoted to assist the localities to provide training to criminal justice officers in their employ. Two funds exist to this end. The first is through the general fund of the of the state budget. The second is through fines collected on all traffic and criminal convictions. DCJS is responsible for the determination of how the money is to be disbursed and the actual disbursement of the funds.

Curriculum Approval

The Criminal Justice Services Board establishes minimum training requirements for criminal justice officers. The Department is responsible for taking the necessary action to ensure compliance with the training requirements. One way to accomplish this is through the initial review and approval of the curriculum to include dates, times, subject matter and instructors.

Defensive Tactics Instructors School

Criminal Justice Officers are required to use the least amount of force possible to accomplish their legal mission. This class teaches techniques to ensure officer safety while only using the force necessary to accomplish their task.

Expungements

The Code of Virginia allows for an individual to petition to have a criminal charge removed if the case was dismissed, not prosecuted or the individual was found not guilty. The court issues an order of expungement and sends the order to the Virginia State Police (VSP). VSP coordinates the expungment of the record with all agencies who are known to have had the record.

Jail Officer Training

All officers employed by local sheriffs offices and regional jails for the protection of inmates and the security of the public are required to attend training to learn how to legally conduct the requirements of the position while maintaining a safe and secure facility. The Jails Training Section of DCJS assists the localities by conducting training for jailors to meet compulsory minimum training standards.

Job Task Analysis

Entry level training for criminal justice officers must be determined based upon those tasks that the officer performs on either a frequent basis or it must be a critical component of the job. A job task analysis determines the tasks performed and the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the requirements of the position.

Training Records System

DCJS maintains a database of all actively employed and terminated criminal justice officers in Virginia employed by public agencies. This system tracks employment, training and termination for the purpose of determining compliance with training regulations.

Instructor Certification

Training provided to criminal justice officers is mostly provided by seasoned veteran officers with given areas of expertise. Instructor certification requires training in how to prepare lesson plans, construct test questions, and various means of delivering training. Additionally for specialized high liability areas such as driver training, additional training is provided to prepare the instructor for the task.

Regional Academy Policy

Regional Academies consist of a number of jurisdictions who have agreed to participate in the operations of one academy to serve their collective agencies. The Regional Academy Policy addresses the change of membership from one academy to another while minimizing the impact.

Civil Process & Court Security Training

The public should have an expectation of safety when entering any courtroom in Virginia either as a plaintiff, defendant, witness, juror or spectator. Additionally, every citizen has the expectation that any civil process conducted should be accomplished in accordance with state law. The Jails Training Section of the Standards and Certification Section provides training to local criminal justice personnel employed to provide these two functions.

Studies

The Standards and Training Section of DCJS becomes involved annually in legislatively required studies for the improvement of criminal justice in Virginia. These studies may revolve around individual issues or criminal justice training.

Technical Assistance

Staff of the Standards and Training Section frequently become involved in providing technical assistance to state and local criminal justice agencies on a variety of issues due to our experience and exposure to criminal justice issues.

Radar Operator Instructor Training

The ability of an officer to write a traffic violation based upon a radar unit reading requires that the officer understand the operation of the unit, its strengths and limitations. This course is conducted by DCJS to provide for instructors who may teach law enforcement officers in either the academy or agency for the protection of the public.

Exemptions & Extensions

It is recognized that there may be extenuating circumstances which may reasonably be considered to either provide an exemption of all or part of training requirements based upon previous training and employment. It is further recognized that circumstances may exist which does not allow an individual to complete training within the specified time, such as illness or injury. Provisions exist to address each of these areas.