Title
Presentation of a Plaque to the City and its Police Division for Hampton's Recertification as a Certified Crime Prevention Community
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The City of Hampton has been certified as a Crime Prevention Community since 2003. As such, the City was recently approved and presented on May 9, 2024 with its re-certification to continue its participation in Virginia's Certified Crime Prevention Community Program. Certifications for the Crime Prevention Programs must be renewed every three years. As such, the Hampton Police Division recently went through the process to recertify the City of Hampton as a Certified Crime Prevention Community. After careful and thorough review of Hampton's application by the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the City was recertified for another three (3) years.
The Certified Crime Prevention Community Program was the first of its kind in the nation. The program was established by the Governor's Partnership Commission for Community Safety and has been administered by DCJS since it's inception. It is designed to recognize and certify localities that have implemented a defined set of community safety strategies as part of a comprehensive community safety/crime prevention effort. This is not simply a police program, but involves a number of agencies and organizations throughout the City. While it requires a dedicated effort on the part of the City to become and maintain certification, the potential rewards of this program are tremendous.
Tina Sumpter, the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC) Accreditation Coordinator with DCJS, will be presenting to the City a plaque for Hampton having successfully recertified as a Certified Crime Prevention Community.
Discussion:
Virginia's Certified Crime Prevention Community Program was one of the first of its kind in the nation at its inception in 1998. The program encourages localities to develop and implement collaborative community safety plans within a flexible framework designed by the Commission. In addition, it provides an ongoing process by which communities can reassess and update their plans to address emerging community safety issues. As a participant in this program, Hampton is able to establish key benchmarks in providing for the safety of our citizens demonstrating that the City can meet rigorous standards related to community safety. As a Certified Crime Prevention Community, the message is clear that criminal behavior will not be tolerated.
Impact:
Recommendation:
Rec
Accept the plaque for re-certification.
Body