The local regional training academy needs your help to continue training local law enforcement officers.
The Crater Criminal Justice Training Academy (CCJTA) has been preparing local police officers since 1975, but just recently started the Crater Training Academy Foundation (CTAF) to help secure needed funds.
“While funding has been steadily going down, law enforcement responsibilities have been steadily going up,” explained CCJTA Executive Director Jon Cliborne.
As an independent political subdivision of Virginia, CCJTA has seen significant decreases in annual funding from the state. CTFA was created in the fall of 2015 to fill new funding gaps and strengthen local law enforcement training.
The foundation allows citizens to donate directly to CCJTA, which trains officers locally, rather than any number of locations across the Commonwealth.
“You’re really able to impact your own community because your donation goes directly to your training academy,” Cliborne noted. Funding received through the foundation will be used to purchase necessary equipment to properly train officers.
The foundation is holding an Inaugural Benefit from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. on April 30 to introduce both the training academy and foundation to the community. The event will be held at the CCJTA campus: 6130 County Dr, Disputanta, VA 23842. For more information about the event, click here.
“Our main goals for the event is public awareness, introducing what the academy is and what the foundation is to the community,” Cliborne said.
Moving forward, the foundation plans to host movie nights this summer as an opportunity for the public to see the academy and get acquainted with its mission. It will also be participating with Prince George County to participate in the county’s annual National Night Out in August.
The foundation is chaired by Colonial Heights’ C. Scott Davis, while Senator Rosalyn Dance serves as vice chair. Virginia’s Gateway Region Economic Development Organization President &CEO Renee Chapline also sits on the board of directors.
“When working with businesses and residents in and out of our region, safety is always a key concern,” said Chapline. “As regional economic developers, we experience first-hand that businesses prioritize locating in communities that are safe for their employees.”
To learn more about the CCJTA and CTAF, please visit: http://www.ccja.org.
