The George Washington University Police Department has developed a new and innovative violence awareness training program for faculty, staff, and student leaders.The Violence Awareness and Mitigation Program (VAMP) teaches participants how to identify pre-violence indicators before they can escalate to a dangerous situation on campus.
The specific goals of VAMP are to educate people about behaviors that indicate the potential for violence in students and community members; to teach techniques that are used in non-physical situations to diffuse the potential for violence; and develop psycho-motor skills to allow faculty, staff, and student leaders to protect themselves and others from violence.Participants will learn techniques that will help them in situations that range from dealing with disruptive students, specific threats directed at the individual, and managing aspects of major incidents, including active shooters. UPD recently conducted a pilot program involving professional staff members in the Housing Programs Department and one of the participants indicated that she “is much more comfortable in recognizing and articulating pre-violence indicators and threatening body language after participating in the program.”
“One of the outcomes of the Virginia Tech shootings is the concern that individuals confronted by an active shooter or violent offender in a campus setting do not know how to react and/or are not be prepared to identify the potential for violence in their students and fellow co-workers.The VAMP program not only teaches participants how to recognize combative behavior but how to remove oneself from or deal with a potentially dangerous situation until the police arrive, if necessary,” said Dolores Stafford, GW chief of police. After the pilot program, another staff member indicated that “the physical demonstrations and the ability to practice the techniques with regard to handling a combative individual was the most helpful part of the program.”
The program, which is a ten (10) hour class, is also designed to enhance each participant’s relationship with the University Police Department and better understand the Department’s response to various incidents/ emergencies on campus.Participants will also gain better knowledge of university policies and protocols in reference to serious incidents on campus.
The GW University Police Department protects and serves GW and the Foggy Bottom community by providing professional law enforcement services, promoting progressive community policing strategies, and maintaining a commitment to education. The department employs more than 150 full-time personnel, 100 of whom are uniformed officers.
If you are interested in participating in the Violence Awareness and Mitigation Program, please complete and submit the form below.
