The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services is pleased to announce two (2), one (1) day sessions of Sovereign Citizens and Anti-Government Individuals training on July 9, 2019, in Lynchburg, Virginia and on August 20, 2019 in Bristol, Virginia. This training will equip law enforcement officers with the knowledge to recognize and identify sovereign citizens and anti-government individuals and to understand the subculture movement in order to enhance officer safety and conduct thorough investigations. Sovereign citizens and anti-government individuals are extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or “sovereign” from the United States. As a result, they believe they do no not have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement. This training will address the unique challenges that sovereign citizens and anti-government individuals pose to law enforcement.
This training is being offered to sworn Virginia law enforcement officers, campus police and campus security officers. Agency identification will be required.
Describe common sovereign ideology.
Recognize common sovereign language and buzz words.
Recognize sovereign forms of identification, sovereign registration plates, and sovereign court documents.
Identify common forms of sovereign “paper terrorism” and learn how to successfully mitigate those issues.
Increase overall awareness of the sovereign citizen movement and the dangers faced by law enforcement.
Law enforcement officers will receive 8 PIC hours. Please note: PIC hours are an estimate and may change due to unforeseen circumstances.
There is no fee to attend this training.
Transportation, lodging and meals are the responsibility of the participant.
Sign in begins at 7:30 a.m.
Training begins at 8:00 a.m. and concludes at 5:00 p.m.
Pre-registration is required. Please note that the DCJS registration system does not have the capacity to sort eligible from ineligible registrants. Therefore, anyone who registers will receive a confirmation. It is the responsibility of the DCJS assigned course director to review the roster and make a final determination on acceptance into the course. Registrants not accepted will be notified via the email address provided during registration.
