As the responsibilities of the policing profession continue to evolve, officers are increasingly expected to address complex social and community-based challenges. Beyond enforcing laws, today’s officers must act as collaborative problem-solvers, working to build trust, foster transparency, and strengthen public confidence in policing.

Among these many tasks, building and maintaining trust is one of the most important and challenging responsibilities in modern policing.

Officers and public safety leaders must be prepared to respond to situations that call for more than conventional enforcement strategies. Effective community engagement, trust-building, and partnerships are now essential components of public safety. These skills require training in communication, cultural awareness, youth engagement, and trauma-informed practices. However, agencies face significant barriers to accessing this type of high-quality, contemporary training. Budget constraints often limit opportunities beyond the minimum Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements. At the same time, staffing shortages reduce capacity and make it difficult to prioritize continued education. As a result, some departments, particularly those in small and rural communities, struggle to meet evolving training needs.

Recognizing this need, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has launched the Community-Police Engagement and Trust course as part of its online Elevate Blue training suite. This course provides police personnel with practical, evidence-informed approaches to strengthen community relationships, enhance legitimacy, and support long-term public safety outcomes.

Course Highlights

Developed by the IACP in collaboration with a coalition of key law enforcement and criminal justice stakeholders—including the Fraternal Order of Police, International Association of College Law Enforcement Administrators, International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, National District Attorneys Association, and National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives—the Community-Police Engagement and Trust course emphasizes practical, real-world approaches to building trust and legitimacy.

This course was thoughtfully constructed in collaboration with partners, practitioners and subject matter experts from the field, and skilled curriculum developers.

“Trust is essential to effective policing, and building trust requires more than intention—it requires training, consistency, and meaningful engagement.”

The first module addresses strategies to make meaningful, productive connections with community members through procedural justice and enhanced cultural competence. During the second module, participants learn what to communicate and how to communicate effectively to build transparency and trust. The third module helps participants put the principles from modules one and two into action with strategies that promote positive engagement and empower communities to take an active role in solving public safety concerns. Finally, the fourth module shares promising practices to engage with youth community members to build trusting relationships through identifying barriers at home, at school, or in the community, as well as resources to address those barriers.

The Community-Police Engagement and Trust course offers practical strategies that officers can apply directly in their daily work to strengthen relationships and improve outcomes. Key takeaways include

• • Building trust through everyday interaction—Officers explore how consistent, respectful, and transparent communication can reinforce legitimacy and foster long-term trust within the community.
  • Engaging youth with empathy and awareness—The course provides guidance on trauma-informed and age-appropriate approaches to youth engagement, helping officers build positive relationships with local youth and reduce the likelihood of negative encounters.
  • Collaborating with the community to solve problems—Officers are introduced to structured methods for working alongside residents, local organizations, and stakeholders to identify concerns and develop sustainable solutions.
  • Applying place-based policing principles—Participants learn how to tailor engagement strategies to the specific needs, histories, and dynamics of the neighborhoods they serve.
  • Strengthening communication and cultural competency—The course emphasizes the importance of active listening, cultural awareness, and clear messaging to improve community-police interactions and reduce misunderstandings.

Trust is essential to effective policing, and building trust requires more than intention—it requires training, consistency, and meaningful engagement. The Community-Police Engagement and Trust course equips officers with practical tools to strengthen relationships; enhance legitimacy; and support safer, more connected communities. Through scenario-based learning, real-world examples, and expert insights, the course helps officers apply engagement strategies that are both respectful and effective. These core concepts are designed to help officers build stronger, more resilient relationships with the communities they serve, ultimately enhancing public safety and community well-being.

About Elevate Blue

This course is part of the IACP’s Elevate Blue initiative, a high-quality virtual training suite designed to meet the evolving needs of law enforcement. Elevate Blue courses offer an interactive experience by connecting the learner with the content, building skills, confidence, and knowledge by using real-world scenarios and integrated feedback. Elevate Blue offers the following benefits:

• • No Cost: Elevate Blue is available at no cost for policing professionals through IACPlearn, the premiere learning management platform of the IACP.
  • Flexibility: The virtual training suite affords flexibility for learners to participate in training on demand and within the limits of their schedule. Learners may control the pace of each course, take breaks, and return to the course at their leisure. Course length may vary, but each is typically completed in an average of two to four hours.
  • Accessibility: The training suite is available on any device, any time, and wherever learners can establish connectivity to IACPlearn. Each course is equipped with a student guide, a glossary of terms, and supplementary downloadable resources and job aids.
  • Engagement: Courses engage the learner by integrating adult learning principles through video, interactive exercises, and knowledge checks. Subject matter experts connect the course content to real-life experiences through short, relatable testimonial videos.
  • Certification: Each course is certified through the IADLEST National Certification Program and will fulfill POST requirements. Participants can download a certificate of completion upon finishing the course.

The Elevate Blue Essential Training for Law Enforcement suite has launched the Leadership, Management, and Supervision; Managing Mass Demonstrations and Preserving Civil Liberties; and Officer Safety and Wellness courses. Additional courses—Effective Violent Crime Reduction Strategies; Recruitment, Hiring, Training, and Retention; and Tactical and Ethical Decision-Making—will be launched later this year. The goal of Elevate Blue is to broaden law enforcement’s knowledge on critical topics and to support law enforcement efforts to bring positive change to their communities.

To learn more or access Elevate Blue, visit theIACP.org/projects/elevate-blue. d

Please cite as:

Claire Michaud, “Elevate Blue Essential Training for Law Enforcement,” IACP@Work, Police Chief 92, no. 10 (October 2025): 82–84.