We are excited to announce the renaming of the Police Institute to the Center on Policing (COP) as it comes under a new larger institute, the Rutgers Institute for Violence Prevention and Community Safety (VPCS).  Our Center joins two other centers under the VPCS, the Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience (CPR) and the Center for Critical Intelligence Studies.  Ava Majlesi, JD, is currently serving as the acting director of the Institute, with John Farmer serving as the external advisory board chair, and Richard L. Edwards, former Rutgers New Brunswick Chancellor, serving as the advisory board chair.  VPCS’s main goal is to “enhance the safety and welfare of society while maintaining three separate, but complementary mission spaces.

Becoming part of a larger institute will allow us to continue to carry out many of the goals we strived for as the Police Institute.  It also offers new opportunities to collaborate with the other new centers while continuing to work with established partners.  Below is a brief description of each center:

The Miller Center on Community Protection and Resilience (CPR)
Director: John Farmer

The goal of CPR is to partner with academic unites within Rutgers University, as well as public, private and non=profit partners to implement programs and projects that aim to protect vulnerable populations by identifying and disseminating best-practices, offering police-community training workshops, consulting with and assisting vulnerable populations on security and civil liberties issues, and engaging in research relevant to the protection of vulnerable populations.

Center for Critical Intelligence Studies
Director: John D. Cohen

The goal of the Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence (IC CAE) is to leverage ties with federal agencies and others to expand educational and career opportunities for Rutgers students through increased opportunities for interaction with law enforcement and intelligence professionals and practitioners in the field by leveraging classroom and distance learning resources.

Center on Policing (COP)
Director: Linda Tartaglia

The goal of the COP is to integrate research into evidence-based best practices into police operations, violence reduction, problem solving, community policing, education, training, and the development of criminal justice policy and practice. This effort will support over 18,000 public safety professionals employed in over 500 public safety agenices throughout New Jersey as well as other local, state, and federal agenices throughout the country.  The COP will also continue to hos the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).