James Madison's Montpelier We The People Fall 2017 WTP_fall 2017_FINAL-rgb | Page 17

FALL 2017
ONLINE LAW ENFORCEMENT COURSE
STATE OF THE CONSTITUTION 2017
The Constitutional Foundations for Law
Enforcement online course launched in June and
has already begun training more than 365 Law
Enforcement Officers (LEOs) in the constitutional
elements of public safety. Virginia prides itself on
having some of the most well-regarded, highly-
qualified law enforcement officers in the country.
Maintaining that professional edge requires near-
continuous training.
Lt. Governor Ralph Northam and Secretary of
Public Safety Brian Moran joined Montpelier to
launch an online course on the U.S. Constitution
created specifically for LEOs. The public/private
collaboration between Montpelier and the
Commonwealth is the first of its kind and uses
constitutional principles to equip cops to be better
prepared for the day-to-day challenges they face.
Funding for the project was supplied by the Office
of the Attorney General (OAG) with funds made
available through asset forfeiture allowing the course
to be free for all Virginia officers.
“It is a nicely designed course with great detail for
practical application. It should be required for all
officers,” says Officer Dan Bullock of the Fairfax
County Police Department.
Montpelier’s annual State of the Constitution program
engages diverse audiences through candid conversations
about American constitutionalism. Each year we ask
how the Constitution is faring, where tensions are
emerging, and what the future of the Constitution looks
like from a wide variety of perspectives.
The 2017 State of the Constitution program, “A New
American Constitution,” was held at the National
Archives on September 14, 2017, as part of a celebration
of the 230th anniversary of the Constitution. A panel
of experts spotlighted the historical and modern
importance of the Constitution in American society
with emphasis on America’s changing demographic
landscape, the emergence of newly amplified voices in
the public square, and the changing expectations we have
of our government.
UPCOMING MONTPELIER PROGRAMS
Learn more at montpelier.org/center-for-the-constitution
New Horizons
Conference | Dec. 8-10,
2017
We The People |
Jan. 26, 2018
The top 10 high
A scholars’
school teams from
conference to explore across Virginia
current scholarship
come to the Darden
on Madison’s Notes
School at UVA to
of the Debate. We
crown a new state
will review several
champion. We will
works that take a
then advance to the
critical look at the
national We the
purpose, audience,
People competition
and implication of
in Washington, D.C.
one of Madison’s
most unique legacies.
Sex, Drugs, and Rock &
Roll | Mar. 9–11, 2018
Some of the most
significant issues
faced by teachers
and their students
include sexuality,
drug abuse, and
limits on free
expression. This
seminar focuses on
the constitutional
powers and rights
that directly impact
these current topics.
Referendums: Theory,
Freedom of the Press
Design, and Application | and Constitutional Issues
Mar. 16–18, 2018
in Modern Media |
Apr. 13–15, 2018
Referendums impact
everyone, but they
can be controversial
and unpredictable.
Participants will
review theoretical
and practical
justifications for
referendums,
evaluating the
strengths and risks
inherent in their use.
Digital media are
posing constitutional
questions for
legislators, regulators,
and media users.
This seminar
examines both the
modern and historic
policies related to the
free press and mass
communication.
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