Combating Violence through Conflict Mitigation (CVCM)

This FY 2011 grant announcement focuses on national initiatives to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system by addressing training and technical assistance needs for state and local law enforcement. These initiatives are funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the Byrne Competitive Program helps local communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. P.L. 111-117, Division B, Title II, Section 215(1) authorizes use of up to 3 percent of funds made available to the Office of Justice Programs for grants or reimbursement to provide training and technical assistance. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a)) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The JAG Program authorization also states that the Attorney General may reserve not more than 5 percent, to be granted to 1 or more States or units of local government, for 1 or more of the purposes specified in section 3751 of this title, pursuant to his determination that the same is necessary(1) to combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime (42 U.S.C. 3756).

Category 2: Conflict Mitigation: Building Understanding and Safer Neighborhoods

The Virginia Center for Policing Innovation (VCPI) will develop a 2-day conflict mitigation instructor development course that will be offered in five regions of the country. The five sessions will be supported by a corresponding, interactive, and technology-enhanced on-line course. This course will be scenario-based and enhanced with interactive simulation exercises. After completion of the 2-day classroom instructor development course, graduates will receive presentation materials, ongoing technical assistance, and other resources that will assist them in providing conflict mitigation training to officers in their home and surrounding jurisdictions. VCPI predicts that the approximately 180 instructors produced by the train-the-trainer course will reach as many as 9,000 other officers within the 2-year project period. CA/NCF