We began offering constitutional training for law enforcement in 2009. Constitutional trainings for law enforcement focus on both the legal and aspirational components of constitutional policing. That is to say, participants not only consider the legal framework of policing under the Constitution, they also consider the ways in which they are the Constitution by upholding the values and ideals of America’s governing documents through their actions. 

Montpelier’s law enforcement curriculum relies on the perspectives of seasoned senior officers, prosecutors, and scholars to draw on their experiences in developing 21st-century policing models. The programs emphasize the role of law enforcement as being a guardians of the Constitution, rather than working against it.

What does Constitutional Policing look like in practice in our deeply divided present? How can law enforcement practitioners play a meaningful role in transforming relationships within law enforcement communities and with  community residents they serve? The Center for the Constitution is offering a new multidisciplinary Practical Applications Conference course in January 2022 as Part II of a two-part professional development seminar series specifically designed for law enforcement officers and administrators throughout the state of Virginia. 

This workshop-oriented and discussion-intensive course offers a unique opportunity to share with peer law enforcement professionals and explore key evidence-based strategies for co-creating and co-producing public safety strategies in tandem with community-based partners. Conference participants will deepen their Constitutional literacy beyond the parameters of traditional police training and devise relevant relational policing approaches for addressing major challenges with respect to Civil Rights, mental health, and community distrust