Law Enforcement

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is accepting applications for the 2025 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) Grant. The awards will be for competitive grants, which will begin September 1, 2025. The goal of this funding initiative is to provide applicants with an opportunity to increase program capacity, program acceptance rates, and graduation rates for recovery courts, behavioral health dockets, and veterans treatment dockets (specialty dockets).

Applicants should focus on planning, implementing, and/or enhancing specialty dockets by examining programmatic needs, such as evidence-based curricula, staff training and development, and other treatment resources. Hiring of full-time program staff is discouraged due to the limited grant period.

Planning and implementation grants allow localities time to develop interdisciplinary teams to best structure a specialty docket for their locality, receive specialty docket training from the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) of the Supreme Court of Virginia, Specialty Dockets Division of the Department of Judicial Services, and submit a specialty docket application to OES. It further allows localities time to begin the docket implementation process.

Implementation and enhancement grants allow localities that have already gone through the planning phase of developing a specialty docket an opportunity to implement the program. For specialty dockets that are already approved by OES and operating, it is an opportunity to expand or enhance the program. This could be through increased capacity in participants and/or the treatment services provided.

Applicants will need a letter of support from the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) of the Supreme Court of Virginia, Specialty Dockets Division of the Department of Judicial Services.

The grant period is 22-months, September 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027.

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Office of First Responder Wellness is offering funding to support first responder wellness for current and retired first responders. The First Responder Wellness Grant Program is designed to support the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of first responders in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This funding opportunity aims to provide resources to agencies and non-profit organizations focused on promoting the overall health and wellness of individuals who serve on the front lines of public safety, including law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, emergency communication officers, and corrections officers. Established under Executive Order Thirty-Eight (2024), the DCJS Office of First Responder Wellness will award up to $2,700,000 to first responder agencies and non-profit organizations to provide and facilitate training opportunities and establish or enhance wellness programs and peer support services to first responders.
These grant funds are to be used to support our first responders through programs addressing, but not limited to, emotional, physical, and overall personal wellness:

• Fund first responder wellness training for agency employees
• Fund registration fees, lodging, and per diem for agency employees to attend conferences related to first responder wellness
• Fund support costs for a therapy/support dog or costs for a dog already owned by an agency to attend training.
• Fund the purchase of therapeutic wellness equipment
• Provide funding for non-profit organizations to provide wellness training, resources, or direct services to first responders in the Commonwealth of Virginia

The mission of the Office of First Responder Wellness is to adopt a public health approach to first responders through primary prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery initiatives, including the development of resources that not only save the lives of our first responders but also improve their overall wellness. A First Responder is a current or retired law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical services (EMS) provider, emergency communications officer, or corrections officer. A first responder agency is an agency that employs law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services (EMS) providers, emergency communications officers, or corrections officers. A non-profit agency is eligible to receive funding to provide wellness training, resources, or direct services to first responders in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
These guidelines contain the rules and requirements governing the Office of First Responder Wellness Grant Program and instructions for completing and submitting an application.

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

LAW ENFORCEMENT & JAIL OFFICER DECERTIFICATION

Updated SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

UNDER ONGOING REVISION!

 

The provisions of the Virginia Decertification Code for Law Enforcement & Jail Officers (Virginia Code 15.2-1707 & 15.2-1708) have been revised, via 2024 Legislative action, Senate Bill 88 (SB88). The new code language has become effective as of July 1, 2024.

SUBMISSION FORM FOR DECERTIFICATION CONSIDERATIONS:

 "Notification of Eligibility for Decertification (DC-1)” Form (Rev 3.0 / 7.2024)

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

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/

STATEWIDE STANDARD OF CONDUCT FOR LAW-ENFORCEMENT & JAIL OFFICERS:

The Statewide Standards of Conduct (SOC) went into effect on March 14, 2024.  The SOC are still in emergency regulation status and can be found on Virginia Regulatory Townhall:

 https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewXML.cfm?textid=16995 
"SOC Language" (3-03-2024 SOC/ PDF)

2024 Virginia Legislative Language: Senate Bill 88 (SB88) 

Senate Bill 88 (Revisions to the Decertification Codes: 15.2-1707 & 15.2-1708)

“That the Department of Criminal Justice Services shall promulgate regulations to implement the 425 provisions of this act to be effective within 280 days of its enactment.”

DCJS is coordinating with the Executive Committee of the Criminal Justice Services Board (CJSB) and the Virginia Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to implement the new additions and revisions to the Decertification code provisions and the newly enhanced review and appeal process as implemented via SB88.  Some of the changes will be implemented on Day One, July 1, 2024, while other changes will need to be adapted over the next 280 days as required in the implementation clause referenced above.

2024 Appeal Hearing Dates

SB88 provision and 2025 dates planning and revisions pending…

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: 

2025 DATES: 

• January 16-17, 2025 - CONCLUDED
• February 13-14, 2025 - CONCLUDED
• May 15-16, 2025
• August 14-15, 2025
• November 6-7, 2025

Please note that the specified dates may be subject to change based upon the 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.

QUESTIONS or CONTACT:

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

*Regulations and Policy/ Procedures revisions will be posted to this website, once completed.

Thank you!

Law Enforcement Division
Virginia Department of Criminal justice Services

COMMITTEE ON TRAINING MEETING INFORMATION