DOJ Community Awareness Training

Certification

This course is certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.

Training Mandates

This course meets state guidelines for the following mandated subject areas:

• Law Update  (annual)
• Civil Rights  (every 3 yrs.)
• Cultural Competency  (every 3 yrs.)
• Human Rights  (every 3 yrs.)
• Procedural Justice  (every 3 yrs.)

Description

This course will be presented in three segments:

The portion on Law Enforcement and the Transgender Community will provide law enforcement and government officials with important definitions, recommended language, appropriate conduct, and best practices related to the transgender community.  The training also highlights the impacts of hate crimes against transgender persons, and outreach strategies with the transgender community. The knowledge and skills gained through the training are intended to help participants serve the transgender community more effectively by helping to build trust and rapport, increase mutual respect and understanding, properly identify and respond to hate crimes, and develop a network of reliable resources.

The portion on Engaging and Building Partnerships with Muslim Americans is designed to familiarize law enforcement professionals and government officials with the customs and cultural aspects of the Muslim American community, including their beliefs, practices, and civil rights-related issues that impact their community. Learning about cultural sensitivities, best practices on how to engage, and better methods of communication can strengthen relationships with the Muslim American communities they serve.

The portion on Engaging and Building Partnerships with Sikh Americans is designed to familiarize law enforcement professionals and government officials with the customs and cultural aspects of the Sikh American community, including their beliefs, practices, and civil rights-related issues that impact their community.  Learning about cultural sensitivities, best practices on how to engage, and better methods of communication can strengthen relationships with the Sikh American communities they serve.

Topics

• Engaging with Transgender, Muslim and Sikh communities
• Important definitions and recommended language
• Appropriate conduct when interacting with unique populations
• Understanding community beliefs and religious practices
• Enhancing respect and public safety for all community members
• Misconceptions that can impact the response to hate crimes
• Strengthening partnerships and building trust
• Best practices, strategies and resources for successful collaboration

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