FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2023
CPD to Implement New Community-focused Initiatives
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The Charlottesville Police Department (CPD) is excited to announce two new initiatives focused on building trust and nurturing our relationship with the community.
1) Procedural Justice Training
In mid-July, our department will receive procedural justice training, which focuses on the importance of officer etiquette and communication. The concept is based on four key principles:
- Voice
- Neutrality
- Respect
- Trustworthiness
Not only is the concept of procedural justice backed by academic research as an effective way to both increase police legitimacy and decrease crime, but it is also the foundation of creating healthy and positive relationships. However, we must take this training a step further and incorporate feedback from our community members. This will assess how well we are implementing the core principles of procedural justice in our day-to-day interactions with the community.
2) Future Pilot Program with Guardian Score
After an agency-wide procedural justice training has been completed, CPD plans to launch a pilot program with Guardian Score. Guardian Score provides customer service survey solutions focused on measuring procedural justice skills.
Following a police-community interaction (e.g., a traffic stop), the police officer will provide the community member with an interaction card. This interaction card can be scanned via QR code, leading to a 60-second, anonymous survey with several ratings questions regarding the specific officer interaction. The community member is then asked to provide ratings on skills such as listening, communication, fairness, and professionalism. The results will be immediately available to police leaders and confirmed through body-worn camera review. This process will provide a better understanding of the day-to-day police-community interactions within our city, as well as individual officer data that we’ve never had the opportunity to collect before.
CPD is thrilled to welcome Guardian Score as a new form of measurable and meaningful community feedback.
Media Contact
Kyle Ervin
Public Safety Information Officer
City of Charlottesville
434-326-3043
ervinkl@charlottesville.gov