The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) announced an organizational assessment of the Charlottesville, Virginia, Police Department through its Collaborative Reform Initiative. Over the next year, the Charlottesville Police Department will collaborate with the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative team to focus on community policing/problem solving, crime analysis/crime prevention, employee wellness, training, development and retention, resource analysis/strategic planning, and accountability, oversight and evaluation.
“The overall goals of the Organizational Assessment program include building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, enhancing officer safety and wellness and improving fairness and effectiveness in an agency’s operations,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Any department that actively commits to pursuing those goals is taking a step in the right direction.”
“This is a comprehensive assessment that includes data and document review, direct observations of the agency’s activities and practices, interviews, focus groups and more,” said COPS Office Director Hugh T. Clements Jr. “At the same time the work is taking place, the public will receive regular updates as transparency is a critical part of this process.”
Regular updates on the team’s work with the Charlottesville Police Department will be provided at cops.usdoj.gov/active-oa-site-charlottesville-va-police-department as part of transparency and public accountability.
The Collaborative Reform Initiative encompasses three programs offering expert services to state, local, territorial and Tribal law enforcement agencies: the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center; Critical Response; and Organizational Assessment programs. Complete details can be found at cops.usdoj.gov/collaborativereform. Managed out of the COPS Office, this continuum of services aims to build trust between law enforcement agencies and communities; improve operational efficiencies; enhance officer safety; build capacity for organizational learning; and promote community policing practices nationwide.
The Organizational Assessment program provides intensive technical assistance involving in-depth assessments and long-term assistance on systemic issues challenging community trust. A continual assessment ensures resources focus on identifying areas for improvement while reinforcing strengths. The process also provides transparency with routine public reporting. Each engagement will be supported by a multidisciplinary assessment team composed of subject matter experts from various fields including law enforcement, community engagement, research and evaluation.
The COPS Office is responsible for advancing community policing nationwide within the Justice Department. Established in 1994 as part of national crime-fighting strategy efforts through grants and resources for training and technical assistance, it has become a primary organization for law enforcement agencies across the country. The office has been appropriated over $20 billion to advance community policing efforts including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local territorial and Tribal law enforcement agencies funding approximately 138,000 officers.