Program Highlight: Maintaining Community Security, Respect for the Rule of Law

30 visitors came to the Presidential Precinct in February, representing nearly a dozen countries in the Middle East and North Africa. These visitors joined us through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) for two distinct programs titled “Law Enforcement and Community Policing” and “Building NGO Networks”.

Each of these programs provided a clear illustration of multi-sector solutions to local community challenges. Our dedicated community partners included Charlottesville’s Police Civilian Oversight Board (PCOB), the Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA), the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) and its network members, and the Yancey School Community Center. Faculty from the Precinct’s academic partners – the University of Virginia and William & Mary – also provided the lens of theory and policy to better inform individual case scenarios.

Priorities in the “Law Enforcement and Community Policing” program included examining the relationships and balance between combating crime and protecting the rights of the public, and exploring methods for increasing community security through planning, communication, and the use of volunteers. Participants had the special opportunity of joining the Charlottesville Police Department for a full department tour and community walk – a first hand example of community policing practices prioritized by the department.

Participants in this program – all established law enforcement officers and instructors, civic education teachers, municipal leaders, and NGO representatives – now return home better informed and equipped to maintain security in their own communities. We are grateful for their work to make our world a more just and safe place and honored to call them Presidential Precinct alumni.