Virginia Law

A. The following requirements must be achieved to be certified as a crime prevention specialist. The applicant shall have:

1. Been certified as a general law-enforcement instructor within the past five years, or successfully completed a comparable instructor development course approved by the department.

2. Received 40 hours of approved introductory crime prevention training. Completion of the following compulsory minimum training topics is required for designation as a crime prevention specialist:

a. Theory and Practice of Crime Prevention

b. Neighborhood Watch

c. Home and Business Security

d. Security Liability

e. Security Hardware (locks, lighting, and alarms)

f. Personal Safety

g. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

h. Security Assessments

3. Received 80 hours of additional crime prevention training within the past five years of the date of application. This additional training must address at least four of any of the following topics:

a. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

b. Community-Policing

c. Crime Analysis

d. School Safety and Security

e. Security Lighting

f. Computer Security

g. Managing Volunteers

h. Grant and Proposal Writing

i. Legislation, Ordinance and Regulation Development

j. Prevention of Youth Violence

k. Prevention of Family Violence

l. Drug Abuse Prevention

m. Public Speaking

n. Media Relations

o. Homeland Security/Terrorism Prevention

p. White Collar Crime

q. Identity Theft

r. Victim Witness Services

s. Crime Prevention for Seniors

t. Code Enforcement/Nuisance Abatement

u. Other topics approved by the department

4. At least three years experience in a law-enforcement, crime prevention, or criminal justice government agency.

5. At least one year experience, within the past five years of the date of application, in providing crime prevention services. Such experience shall have included:

a. Developing and maintaining Neighborhood or Business Watch groups.

b. Conducting security assessments of homes and businesses.

c. Making public presentations on home or business security and personal safety.

d. Distributing crime prevention information to the public.

e. Other experience approved by the department.

B. The department may waive all or part of the prescribed training requirements upon review of relevant crime prevention certifications awarded by recognized criminal justice or security organizations or by other state criminal justice agencies. These certifications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Crime prevention specialist certifications awarded by organizations or other states will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.