Fair and Impartial Policing Policy 2024
Date: April 24, 2024
Fair and Impartial Policing Policy
On Tuesday, April 23, 2024 the Vermont Criminal Justice Council (VCJC) approved an update to the VCJC’s model Fair and Impartial Policing (FIP) policy. The unanimous vote, 18-0, in favor of the proposed revision was the culmination of multiple Council meetings dedicated to the discussion of five recommendations presented to the Council by the Council’s Fair and Impartial Policing Subcommittee.
The VCJC’s model Fair and Impartial Policing policy was last updated in January of 2018. While the policy has been reviewed for legal compliance, this is the first substantial update of the policy. In August of 2022, the Fair and Impartial subcommittee began its review of the policy focused on the sections of the policy concerning immigration and citizenship status. The subcommittee, comprised of Council members and community stakeholders, worked for over a year and a half, engaging with immigration advocacy groups and the Attorney General’s office to create recommended changes to the policy.
Some of the subcommittee’s recommendations were accepted in their entirety and some of the recommendations were not. The recommendations that were not adopted initially by the Council concerned a legal issue as to whether two of the recommendations conflicted with Federal immigration law. After much discussion, the Council, through negotiation and compromise was able to move forward in updated language in the two recommended areas with alternative language proposed by Council members.
Now that the Council has approved an updated FIP policy, individual law enforcement agencies will update their agency-specific Fair and Impartial Policing policy as soon as is practicable for the agency and its community. The VCJC, in consultation with the Attorney General’s Office, will review every agency’s updated FIP policy for compliance. This review needs to be completed within the next six months.
A copy of the policy can be found on our website: Model Fair and Impartial Policing policy | Criminal Justice Council (vermont.gov)
Training Survey
As part of our continuing commitment to the training of Vermont’s law enforcement personnel, the Vermont Police Academy and the Vermont Criminal Justice Council is excited to announce the opening of a formal Job Task Analysis (JTA). The survey is open to all certified law enforcement officers in Vermont. The results will be used to ensure that Vermont law enforcement officer entry-level training is current, effective, legally defensible, and meets the expectations of Vermont citizens.
The questionnaire asks officers whether and how often they perform a particular task, if at all, as well as how important correct task performance is and when they think it should be learned. Supervisors, Managers and Executives will identify the tasks they expect their officers to perform and evaluate those tasks in terms of both criticality and when they should be taught. Those responses will help determine when a topic is covered, in basic training, advanced training, or on-the-job training.
The responses officers provide will help the police academy develop new and/or validate current basic training and ensure that the Academy’s basic and in-service programs prepare new and serving law enforcement officers to perform the challenges awaiting them in the field.
https://www.hexibit.com/VTJTA/
Important Dates
Firearms Instructor Updates for 2023-2024
- Any Firearms Instructor who was scheduled to re-certify in 2023 will be waived until December 31, 2024.
- All instructors will have the opportunity to re-certify at the Academy during 2024 with multiple dates available for the flexibility of both individuals and departments.
- Instructors will be able to attend a morning or an afternoon re-certification that will last approximately 3 – 4 hours depending on the number of instructors present.
- All instructors should arrive in appropriate duty attire for range, with eye protection, ear protection, cover, body armor and at least 100 rounds of range ammo.
- This re-certification will include classroom portion that will cover the statewide use of force policy and how it pertains to Firearms and Firearms instruction, current methods of instruction for the Level II and Level III classes, expectations for Firearms Instructors for the preparation of students who will be participating in the Level II or Level III courses, student remediation and coaching, familiarization with the new Academy Ti Training Simulator, range standards qualification at instructor proficiency level.
To sign up for the 2023/2024 Firearms Instructor Re-Certification please go to the Eventbrite posting here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/firearms-instructor-re-certification-tickets-777281228077
Annual Training Requirements for agencies are due March 1, 2024 for training obtained from January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023. All waivers for training needed outside of 2023 need to be submitted by December 31, 2023. Each agency has until March 1, 2024 to submit the 2023 annual training affidavit. See more information here: Annual Training Requirements for Certification (Rule 13) | Criminal Justice Council (vermont.gov)
Annual Training Requirements Summary
117th Basic Recruit Class Information
Paperwork Deadline: Friday, December 8, 2023
Fitness Testing Dates: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 0830
Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 0830
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 0830
Orientation: Friday, January 12, 2024 at 0830
Day One: Monday, February 5, 2024, at 0800
118th Basic Recruit Class Information