Welcome to the Civil Process and Courtroom Security Job Task Analysis Survey Webpage

The Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is conducting a study to help us validate current basic training and ensure that it prepares new deputies to perform the tasks that await them on the job. As part of this effort, we are conducting four job task analysis (JTA) surveys of deputies that are 1) Civil Process officers with 5 or fewer years in the assignment, 2) Supervisors of Civil Process officers, 3) Courtroom Security officers with 5 or fewer years in the assignment, or 4) Supervisors of Courtroom Security officers.

If your agency was contacted by DCJS to ask you to participate in one of these surveys, you are in the right place. Here’s what you need to do:

Identify which survey you were assigned to take. You should have been provided with a Username and Password necessary to log in to the survey. The last part of your password indicates which survey you have been assigned to take:

• CP<5      (Civil Process Officer with less than 5 years in the assignment)
• CPsupv (Supervises Civil Process Officers)
• CS<5      (Courtroom Security Officer with less than 5 years in the assignment)
• CSsupv  (Supervises Courtroom Security Officers)

When you are ready to begin the survey, click on your assigned survey’s link, then enter the Username and Password provided to you.

CP<5 survey       https://surveys.dcjs.virginia.gov/surveys/CPO--5-years

CPsupv survey   https://surveys.dcjs.virginia.gov/surveys/CPO-supervisor

CS<5 survey        https://surveys.dcjs.virginia.gov/surveys/CSO--5-years

CSsupv survey    https://surveys.dcjs.virginia.gov/surveys/CSO-supervisor

Please complete the survey before March 22, 2023.

If you have any questions about or need assistance with the survey, please contact Lois Kinch, Training Standards Coordinator, at lois.kinch@dcjs.virginia.gov or 804-229-7231.

Introduction

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (“DCJS”) is pleased to announce the availability of funds through the Local Law Enforcement Block (“LOLE”) Grant Program.  The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program (“JAG”) makes federal funds available to localities to help support their efforts to support public safety or crime prevention efforts.  DCJS has been designated to administer a portion of the JAG funds reserved for Virginia and to make those funds available to local units of government. DCJS has designated this program the Local Law Enforcement Block, LOLE, Grant Program.

Eligibility for LOLE Funds

The LOLE grant program is a formula based grant opportunity.  Eligible localities have reported violent crime data at least three (3) years of the past ten (10) calendar years, to the Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report (URC) Part 1.  If a locality has not reported at least three (3) years of UCR Part 1 violent crime data in the past ten calendar years, they are ineligible to receive an award.  Localities wishing to accept the LOLE funds allocated for their jurisdiction will need to complete an “eligibility application” on DJCS’s Online Grant Management System (“OGMS”) to ensure eligibility.  

Funding Focused Areas

• Law Enforcement to include- hiring, overtime, and equipment
• Prosecution and Courts
• Prevention and Education efforts
• Corrections and Community Corrections
• Drug Treatment
• Planning, Education and Technology Improvement

Prohibition on Use of Funds

Funds through this grant program are not to be used to purchase, lease, rent, or acquire tanks or armored vehicles, fixed-wing aircraft, limousines, real estate, yachts, consultants, or any vehicle not used primarily for law enforcement. In addition, federal funds cannot be used to supplant State or local funds, but instead to increase the amount of funds that would be available otherwise from State and local sources.

Match Requirement

There is no match requirement for this program.

Technical Assistance

Please contact the following DCJS staff for questions regarding your Local Law Enforcement Block, “LOLE”, Grant program:

• Nicole Phelps: email nicole.phelps@dcjs.virginia.gov or telephone 804.786.1577   or
• Tracy Matthews: email tracy.matthews@dcjs.virginai.gov or telephone 804.371.0635

Virginia’s Substantial Risk Order Laws

The Virginia Substantial Risk Order was initially introduced during the 2015 session of the Virginia General Assembly. The proposed legislation was updated several times since its initial introduction. These updates were influenced by lessons learned from other states, as well as input from a variety of stakeholders, including law enforcement, current and former commonwealth’s attorneys, the Office of the Executive Secretary, legislative legal staff, researchers, public health experts and treatment providers. The current Substantial Risk Order Law was introduced in the 2020 session of the Virginia General Assembly, where it was passed and signed into law. The law became effective on July 1, 2020. 

The Substantial Risk Order is a civil court order that allows commonwealth’s attorneys and law enforcement to petition the court to temporarily prevent the purchase, possession, or acquisition of firearms from an individual who is deemed a substantial risk of harming themselves or others in the near future. The order requires the respondent to voluntarily relinquish firearms in their possession to law enforcement. 

Virginia has two substantial risk order laws:

§ 19.2-152.13. Emergency substantial risk order.

§ 19.2-152.14. Substantial risk order.

Training

Substantial Risk Orders - Virginia’s “Red Flag” Laws Webinar

Contact Information

Dennis S. Proffitt, Substantial Risk Order Training Coordinator
804-292-4675
dennis.proffitt@dcjs.virginia.gov

DECERTIFICATION AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT UPDATES

This material will be updated periodically!

Decertifications

The Department of Criminal Justice Services has been developing processes to assist Virginia Law-Enforcement Agencies submit the necessary notification information and documentation to ensure that any suitable decertification concerns are addressed effectively, appropriately, and fairly in accordance with the recently enacted updates to Virginia Code 15.2-1707.

Code of Virginia: 15.2-1707. Decertification of law-enforcement officers. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter17/section15.2-1707/

Please direct any decertification questions to:     Jonathan (Jon) D. Banberger, LE Decertification Coordinator  jonathan.banberger@dcjs.virginia.gov or LEJDecert@dcjs.virginia.gov

Please direct any FOIA requests to:         FOIA@dcjs.virginia.gov

• Additional information on DCJS’s FOIA policy:               https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/about-dcjs/foia-requests

DCJS has developed a Newly Revised “Request for Decertification” (Form DC-1, Version 2.0_3.14-2024) questionnaire to assist agencies in providing the necessary notification and information to determine the suitability of a submission for decertification.  Please discard the previous version of the form, if in use.

Please scan and email the completed, signed, questionnaire to: LEJDecert@dcjs.virginia.gov

2024 Appeal Hearing Dates

Pursuant to Virginia Code 15.2-1708 (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter17/section15.2-1708/), Appeal Hearing Dates have been tentatively prescheduled to allow the Executive Committee of the Criminal Justice Service’s Board to be available to conduct Decertification Appeal hearings.  Upcoming dates for the 2024 Calendar Year are as follows:  (Posted 11/13/2023, updated 02/07/2024)

2024 DATES:

• January 18-19, 2024       Concluded
• March 28-29, 2024    
• May 23-24, 2024             Dates changed to: May 16 – 17, 2024
• July 25-26, 2024
• September 26-27, 2024
• November 21-22, 2024   

Please note that the specified dates may be subject to change based upon the Quorum availability of the Executive Committee of the Criminal Justice Services Board to conduct these hearings.  Changes will be updated on this webpage, Virginia Regulatory TownHall and via direct notifications to the appellants and hearing participants, as soon as determined.

Please find a sample “Flow Chart’ describing the Law Enforcement Decertification process as employed by DCJS Staff, in accordance with the notated Virginia Code Sections.  (“DCJS Process for Officer Decertification” Flow CHART)

Statewide Standards of Conduct

March 2024…

The Statewide Standards of Conduct for Law Enforcement and Jail Officers (6 VAC 20-20) has been approved and is actionable, effective MARCH 14, 2024.  The current version has been approved as an emergency regulatory action and will be submitted into the regulatory process for further evaluation and permanent adoption at a future date.  The current language is available via the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall Website (https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewXML.cfm?textid=16995) and attached for review and use, as relates to associated potential eligible violations of the Decertification Code, Virginia 15.2-1707, subsection B, (iv and v).  The  “Request for Decertification” (Form DC-1, Version 2.0_3.14-2024) form has been updated to include the useability of the noted code sections. 

Please note that the Standards of Conduct and Serious Misconduct content is enacted for use as of March 14, 2024.  Instances or occurrences that may reflect such conduct, which occurred prior to the enactment date, cannot be considered for eligibility of decertifying an individual, however the previously active considerations, under the decertification, may be considered, if the reporting agency feels the involved circumstances meet the code language and criteria.

On February 29, March 5, and March 6, 2024, Mr. Harvey Powers, Law Enforcement Division Director, DCJS, held virtual Standards of Conduct Briefings, attended by many Law Enforcement Professions, throughout Virginia, providing and update on Decertification as well as the expected impact of the Standards of Conduct and Serious Misconduct in their implementation as code viable consideration.  The meeting, held on March 6, 2024, was recorded and is available for your review via this link: (SOC Virtual Meeting 03-06-2024)

Decertification Code Sections:
15.2-1707: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter17/section15.2-1707/
15.2-1708: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter17/section15.2-1708/

Request for Decertification Form:
“Request for Decertification” (Form DC-1, Version 2.0_3.14-2024)
"SOC Language" (3-03.2024 SOC)

Thank you for your continued patience and support.

Law Enforcement Division

Virginia Department of Criminal justice Services

COMMITTEE ON TRAINING MEETING INFORMATION