VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Training and Technical Assistance Program (VALOR Program)

Officer stress, when left unaddressed, can adversely impact police-community relations and threaten public safety nationwide; officer safety and wellness (OSW) training, when properly conceived and effectively executed, has the potential to disrupt the cycle of officer stress. Well-trained, organizationally supported, and physically and mentally healthy officers stand to become the catalysts of an alternative cycle of reduced stress, improved performance, better outcomes, and safer communities, thereby creating the shortest path to healthier police-community relations.

The goal of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) VALOR OSW Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program (VALOR Program), a component of BJA’s VALOR Initiative, is to provide state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement with TTA that has a direct impact on OSW. The proposed funding will allow BJA to continue its strong presence in the law enforcement field of OSW with the ongoing delivery of the VALOR Program, managed by the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR).

This proposal is designed to continue IIR’s support of the VALOR Program and includes the provision of on-site and virtual trainings, including Executive and Mid-Level Leadership Workshops, Survive & Thrive events for all levels of law enforcement, Train-the-Trainer Workshops to help agencies implement their own training programs, and specialized/topic-driven trainings for a deeper dive into emerging topics. In addition, BJA’s Safer Together Campaign will continue to provide training and resources for all levels of law enforcement with the goal of improving police-community relations. This proposal also includes the strategic development of trainings and resources for rural, tribal, and territorial law enforcement, to include Puerto Rico; the continued implementation of TTA; and the continuation of partnerships with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, and the National Policing Institute. Additional deliverables include the development of two new specialized/topic-driven trainings (officer resilience and OSW concerns for women in policing) and the continued development of a tiered achievement system to incentivize agencies to participate in VALOR Initiative and VALOR Program activities.

Curricula and resources will be updated regularly and translated into Spanish, as applicable. The most current and advanced technology will be used to develop effective TTA.

The ultimate intent of the proposed VALOR Program TTA is to effect positive behavioral change in participants and support each agency’s effort to prioritize OSW.

Law enforcement has always been a challenging profession, but it has become increasingly demanding in recent years due to highly publicized incidents that have unfolded nationwide. In response, law enforcement agencies have increased their focus on officers’ overall health, safety, wellness, and resilience building. The Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness (OSW) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program (VALOR Program) provides officers and agency leaders with practical and timely solutions to effectively address the challenges of serving in law enforcement and foster community support, thereby improving the community climate.

The objective of the VALOR Program is to provide state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement with TTA that has a direct impact on OSW. The proposed funding of $6,157,214 for the period of October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, will allow BJA to continue its strong presence in the law enforcement field of OSW with the ongoing delivery of the VALOR Program, managed by the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR).

This proposal is designed to continue IIR’s support of the VALOR Program and includes the provision of on-site and virtual trainings, including Executive and Mid-Level Leadership Workshops, Survive & Thrive (S&T) events for all levels of law enforcement, Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Workshops to help agencies implement their own training programs, and specialized/topic-driven trainings for a deeper dive into emerging topics. In addition, BJA’s Safer Together Campaign will continue to provide training and resources with the goal of improving police-community relations. This proposal also includes the continued strategic development of trainings and resources for rural, tribal, and territorial law enforcement; the continued implementation of TTA; and the continuation of partnerships with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, and the National Policing Institute. Additional deliverables include refreshing the S&T: Fundamentals virtual training course, enhancing follow-up with TTT workshop attendees, initiating a program impact assessment, and exploring the development of resources focused on addressing law enforcement families and their role in OSW, as well as field training officers. 

Curricula and resources will be 508-compliant and updated regularly. The most current and advanced technology will be used to develop effective TTA.  

The ultimate intent of the proposed VALOR Program TTA is to effect positive behavioral change and support each agency’s effort to prioritize OSW.