Crime Prevention Steering Committee

History

The Steering Committee was organized in 1977 when several citizens answered an invitation to join officers from the Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit to assist with community crime prevention programs. Since then, the Steering Committee has grown in numbers and is affiliated with the Hampton Roads Crime Prevention Association and the Virginia Crime Prevention Association. In 1978 and again in 1990, the Virginia Beach City Council passed resolutions naming the Steering Committee the primary crime prevention organization for the City. In 1987, the Committee once again was honored when they received the Governor's Community Crime Prevention award. In 1996, through the efforts of members of the Steering Committee, the Virginia Beach Police Department held it's first Citizens' Police Academy. The Academy has been held twice a year since then. Then, in 2001, the Steering Committee was the driving force and part of the process for the City of Virginia Beach certifying as a Crime Prevention Community through a program instituted by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. The city was the first in Virginia to receive this certification.

Objectives

The objectives of the Steering Committee are: to educate citizens as to their responsibilities and roles in preventing opportunities for crime; to encourage citizens to participate in crime prevention programs; to identify crime problems and support community-based programs to address those problems; to improve communication between citizens and the police; and, to work with and support police efforts and initiatives in crime prevention.

Meetings

Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month at the ODU/NSU Higher Education Center, 1881 University Lane off of Concert Drive in Virginia Beach.  Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. 

Meeting Schedule and Guest Speaker information

October 6th, 2009 - Juvenile Justice Forum, Meeting at Central Library, 6:30 p.m.
November 18th, 2009 - Parole Officer
December, 2009 - No meeting
January 13, 2010 - Crime Solvers
February 10, 2010 - FBI

For more information on the Crime Prevention Steering Committee, please contact the Crime Prevention Unit at (757) 385-1006 or (757) 385-1757 or email MPO Jim McElligott at jmcellig@vbgov.com.

Contact Information:

Crime Prevention Unit

2441 Princess Anne Rd.

Municipal Center, Bldg. 15

Virginia Beach,  VA  23456

Main:  (757) 385-1006