On Thursday, November 21, at 2:00pm ET, the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative (RVCRI) hosted a webinar on funding, training opportunities, and specialized support available to rural law enforcement agencies. A group of expert presenters from leading organizations—including the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)—shared practical tools and knowledge to enhance community safety, build agency capacity, and drive impactful change. During this webinar, viewers:

• Learned about grant opportunities specifically tailored for rural law enforcement agencies.
• Discovered training programs that can enhance your department’s skills and capabilities.
• Explored resources to support economic development and community safety.

Presenters

• Juliana Palmer, Policy Advisor, Bureau of Justice Assistance
• Matthew Lysakowski, Senior Advisor for Tribal Affairs, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
• Michael Dutch, Regional Coordinator, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
• Richard Leonard, Senior Program Manager, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
• Julianne Dunn, Senior Program Officer, Rural LISC

Moderator

• Samantha Rhinerson, Senior Program Manager II, National Policing Institute