Business & Government

UVA Launches Center To Provide Advanced Public Safety Education

The University of Virginia announced Thursday the creation of a center to offer advanced education to law enforcement and public safety professionals.

The new Center for Public Safety and Justice, part of UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, builds on the school’s long-standing public safety initiatives. Those include the Master of Public Safety degree program as well as partnerships with the FBI National Academy and the National Criminal Justice Command College.

The center’s goal, according to school leaders, is to help build a more resilient and adaptive public safety workforce.

“The Center for Public Safety and Justice is a major step forward in strengthening public safety leadership,” Marvin “Ben” Haiman, the center’s executive director, said. “We are dedicated to bringing together innovative ideas, education and partnerships to help leaders make a real difference in their communities. Our programs and research will equip leaders with the tools to address the challenges of today and the future.”

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The center will connect educators, practitioners and scholars to explore critical issues, drive applied research and influence public safety practices. “Our goal is to create a continuous learning environment where our scholarship reaches communities, and the experiences and needs of those communities inform our teaching and improve practices,” Bryon Gustafson, a retired police chief and current faculty member, said. “We will collaborate with students, alumni, community members and industry partners to advance this work.”

Portrait of Melissa Lubin, dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Melissa Lubin, dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, said the new center will expand the school’s initiatives to provide advanced education for law enforcement and public safety professionals. (University Communications photo)

Through fellowship opportunities, collaborative networks and a focus on real-world solutions, the center will foster an environment of continuous learning, professional growth and tangible community impact, school leaders said.

“Collaboration between academics and practitioners is essential to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This partnership will ensure that both evolve in ways that enhance public safety,” Oscar Odom III, a UVA associate professor of public safety, said.

Melissa Lubin, dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, said the school is well-positioned to provide this training to public safety practitioners.

“By bringing together diverse perspectives from both the academic and professional sectors and engaging in thoughtful dialogue on complex issues, the center can advance the field of public safety and, in the spirit of the University’s ‘Great and Good’ strategic plan, contribute to the well-being of communities throughout the commonwealth and beyond,” she said. “SCPS is honored to launch this center as an extension of the good work we are doing through our longstanding educational partnerships with law enforcement agencies.”