A new center at the University of Virginia endeavors to develop scholarship and critical understanding in the realm of public safety.
Last week, the university’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies announced the creation of the UVa Center for Public Safety and Justice, which will focus on fostering academic collaborations among scholars and law enforcement agents to examine and shape current public safety practices.
“Our goal is to create a continuous learning environment where our scholarship reaches communities, and the experiences and needs of those communities inform our teaching and improve practices,” Bryon Gustafson, director of UVa’s master of public safety program and a former Stockton, California, police chief, said in a statement announcing the news. “We will collaborate with students, alumni, community members and industry partners to advance this work.”
Public safety experts who have already been conducting research at the university say the new center, which will provide various fellowship programs, will be the key to transforming theories into improved practical applications.
In addition to the master of public safety program, the university offers several other academic courses for students in the subject through partnerships with the FBI’s academy in Quantico and the National Criminal Justice Command College, a 10-week leadership program held at UVa and the Virginia State Police training station in Richmond.
“SCPS is honored to launch this center as an extension of the good work we are doing through our longstanding educational partnerships with law enforcement agencies,” Melissa Lubin, dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, said in a statement.
The Center for Public Safety and Justice also carries out the "great and good" mission outlined in the university’s 10-year strategic plan.
“By bringing together diverse perspectives from both the academic and professional sectors and engaging in thoughtful dialogue on complex issues, the center can advance the field of public safety,” said Lubin.
In August, Marvin “Ben” Haiman joined the university to serve as the center’s executive director, coming from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., where he served as chief of staff. Haiman’s area of expertise is primarily in professional development and recruitment among law enforcement agencies both domestically and internationally. He also has experience at the federal level, having worked as the director of the Homeland Security Advisory Council within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“The Center for Public Safety and Justice is a major step forward in strengthening public safety leadership,” Haiman said in a statement. “We are dedicated to bringing together innovative ideas, education and partnerships to help leaders make a real difference in their communities. Our programs and research will equip leaders with the tools to address the challenges of today and the future.”
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
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