Safeguarding lives and protecting property remains the core mission of police agencies. Yet, violent crime continues to present complex and evolving challenges for communities of all sizes, placing increasing pressure on agencies to deliver measurable results while maintaining legitimacy and public trust.

Violence can appear in many forms, including youth violence, group violence, retaliatory violence, and gun violence, each shaped by a unique combination of social, structural, and situational factors.

To respond effectively, police agencies must move beyond one-dimensional enforcement approaches and develop a deeper understanding of what drives violence within their communities. Officers and leaders require tools that support meaningful analysis, informed decision-making, and collaboration with community partners. Training that promotes these skills is essential to achieving sustained reductions in violent crime while strengthening community trust and legitimacy.

To meet this need, the International Association of Chiefs of Police has launched Effective Violent Crime Reduction Strategies (EVCRS) as part of the Elevate Blue virtual training suite. This training is designed for use by sworn and professional staff at multiple levels, from command staff to patrol officers. Assigning the course across an agency can help establish a shared framework for understanding violence reduction by decreasing organizational silos and enabling personnel at every level to work from a common strategic foundation that supports coordinated implementation.

The EVCRS course equips criminal justice professionals with practical and research-informed approaches for understanding, preventing, and reducing violent crime. The course emphasizes collaboration, community engagement, and strategic planning grounded in real-world conditions. Upon completion of the course, participants will develop the following core competencies:

• Define community violence and distinguish it from other forms of interpersonal violence, including youth, urban, and group violence.
• Explain the structural, social, and situational drivers of violence and how these factors influence victimization and perpetration.
• Evaluate traditional and proactive law enforcement approaches to violence reduction and their effects on community trust and legitimacy.
• Describe research-informed strategies for reducing violent crime, including focused deterrence, hospital-based interventions, and place-based policing.

Through scenario-driven learning and real-world examples, EVCRS reinforces that effective violence reduction requires alignment, collaboration, and strategic intent. Additional skills participants will gain through this course include

• Identifying and assessing risk and protective factors across individual, relationship, community, and societal levels
• Applying collaborative problem-solving models, such as the Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment (SARA) framework and public health approaches, to address local violence issues
• Developing an implementation plan that outlines goals, partner roles, performance measures, and sustainability considerations
• Using data to define violence problems, assess community needs, and guide strategic planning
• Conducting asset mapping, environmental scans, and capacity assessments to identify community resources
• Engaging multidisciplinary partners and community stakeholders throughout planning, implementation, and evaluation

Training is fundamental to ensuring agency personnel are prepared to address violent crime in a thoughtful and effective way. Reducing violent crime requires more than enforcement alone. It requires an understanding of root causes, an ability to analyze data, and strong partnerships across sectors.

For many departments, particularly those with limited staffing or resources, access to quality training can be difficult. Elevate Blue helps reduce these barriers by offering flexible, self-paced training that does not require removing personnel from the field for extended periods.

To help agencies translate training into consistent operational practice, the IACP has developed a new Elevate Blue Integration Guide. This resource provides practical guidance for incorporating Elevate Blue courses into existing recruit, in-service, or refresher training programs. The guide walks agency leaders and training coordinators through key steps, including identifying training needs, assigning responsibility, communicating expectations, tracking completion, and gathering feedback. When paired with EVCRS, the implementation guide helps agencies connect learning outcomes to strategic planning, operational decisions, and long-term sustainability.

Together, the EVCRS course and Elevate Blue Integration Guide support agencies in moving from knowledge building to coordinated and measurable violence reduction efforts that can be tailored to local conditions and sustained over time.

In addition to EVCRS, the Elevate Blue suite includes courses on leadership, management, and supervision; managing mass demonstrations and preserving civil liberties; and officer safety and wellness. Additional courses will be launched on recruitment; hiring; training and retention; and tactical and ethical decision-making.d

Please cite as

Claire Michaud, “Effective Violent Crime Reduction Strategies,” IACP@Work, Police Chief 93, no. 7 (July 2026): 64–65.