National Rural Law Enforcement Training Initiative
The Law Enforcement Innovation Center has received a training and technical assistance grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to address the unique challenges of rural jurisdictions through the newly created program called, National Rural Law Enforcement Training Initiative.
Working with the Regional Community Policing Institutes (RCPI’s) across the US as well as other law enforcement agencies, LEIC is implementing a comprehensive training initiative covering a broad range of criminal justice topics and consisting of multiple training activities. The training activities include the delivery of national training events via multiple formats in rural jurisdictions throughout the country.
If you are an RCPI or you work closely with one, please contact us with your ideas or suggestions to enhance our training opportunities for rural law enforcement in your area.
Participants must be eligible in order to attend. Eligible persons are employed by a law enforcement agency, social service agency or jail facility in a county that has been designated as rural by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. To verify your eligibility, please review the eligibility list below.
In addition to training, LEIC can provide on-site assessments and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies, including staffing analysis, promotional assessments, policy review and development, and threat and vulnerability assessments.
Eligibility List
Please review the complete listing of eligible counties in each state (PDF)* to determine your eligibility. Eligible counties may either host or send participants to one of the rural training events.
*Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view this file.
Rural Training Map
The Rural Training Map shows rural training classes offered by the University of Tennessee's Law Enforcement Innovation Center. All deliveries are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Course Offerings
The following courses are offered to educators and community organizations.
Reducing Domestic Violence
This two-day (16 hour) program is designed for law enforcement officials and the social services agencies from their jurisdictions.
Topics covered will include:
- The dynamics of domestic violence
- Determining the predominant aggressor
- Strangulation
- Stalking
- Domestic violence laws
- Evidence collection
There is also a strong focus on collaboration between law enforcement, social services agencies, and other community groups to combine resources and share information in order to combat domestic violence. This course is open to law enforcement and victim advocate groups from qualifying rural counties.
DNA Evidence Identification, Collection, and Preservation for Law Enforcement
This two-day course is intended for law enforcement officers involved in the identification, collection, and preservation of DNA evidence. The program makes extensive use of group exercises, problem-solving scenarios, and case studies. Participants will be encouraged to actively participate in the class.
Topics covered include:
- Use of CODIS DNA testing and methodology
- Critical issues surrounding DNA
- Proper identification and collection
- Packaging and transportation of DNA
- Chain of custody
- Biohazards and safety procedures
This course is open to law enforcement officers from qualifying rural counties.
Survival Spanish for Law Enforcement
This 2.5-day (20-hour) course teaches more than 350 Spanish phrases, commands, and questions that are needed by non-Spanish-speaking law enforcement officers when dealing with Spanish speakers.
Participants will learn how to:
- Greet others and use common expressions
- Disarm a suspect, make arrests, and ID individuals
- Stop and search a vehicle, premise, or person
- Conduct field sobriety tests
- Execute warrants
- Read the Miranda Warning
- Render aid to victims
- Recognize offensive (red flag) Spanish words
This class is for sworn law enforcement personnel from eligible rural counties.
Survival Spanish for Jail Facilities
This 2.5-day (20-hour) course teaches more than 350 Spanish phrases, commands, and questions that are needed by non-Spanish-speaking jail personnel when dealing with Spanish speakers.
Participants will learn how to:
- Intake and release prisoners
- Issue orders and body commands
- Assist in medical emergencies
- Facilitate the transport of prisoners
- Search prisoners and cells
- Facilitate family and legal visits
- Manage recreation and exercise
- Monitor work and housekeeping details
- Maintain jail security
- Defuse potentially dangerous situations
This class is for sworn law enforcement personnel from eligible rural counties.
Crime Scene Management
This hands-on training program offers sworn and non-sworn crime scene investigators and technicians access to forensic evidence identification, documentation, collection, and preservation procedures.
During the 40-hour block of instruction participants receive hands-on training in the areas of DNA evidence, fingerprinting, bloodstain pattern analysis, photography, evidence collection and packaging, documentation, crime scene sketching, and more. The introductory-level course blends facilitated learning and lecture periods with mock crime scenes and provides a safe and effective training environment for crime scene personnel.
Fundamentals of Cybercrime Investigation
This five-day, hands-on course is designed to prepare investigators for investigating cybercrime. This course is designed to serve as an introductory course, providing exposure to the various types of cybercrime, how to plan and prepare for cybercrime activity, the methodologies and tools used to investigate cybercrime, as well as how to manage the computer crime scene. The course utilizes instructor-led discussion and instruction, and is reinforced with a number of exercises and hands-on practical exams. The course concludes with a practical exam scenario, which will require the students to apply the skills they have learned throughout the week.
Topics Include:
- Types of Cybercrimes
- Basic Networking and how it is relevant to cybercrime investigation
- Planning and preparing for cybercrime investigations
- Methodologies and tools for investigating cybercrime
- Computer crime scene management: securing and documenting
This class is for sworn law enforcement personnel from eligible rural counties.
This web site is funded in part through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this web site (including, without limitaion, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).
Contact LEIC
Mike Hill
Program Manager
Phone: (865) 946-3222
Toll Free: (866) 449-5342
Fax: (865) 946-3214
mike.hill@tennessee.edu