Game Changer, the nation’s leading program dedicated to improving law enforcement community relations, has won a 2020 IACP Leadership Award along with the VCU Police Department. The partner agencies will be presented virtually with the 2020 IACP/SIA Michael Shanahan Leadership in Public/Private Cooperation Award during The 2020 IACP Annual Conference and Expo happening October 21-23, 2020.
IACP, formally known as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, is committed to advancing the safety of communities worldwide. Every year, the IACP honors law enforcement agencies and officers that exhibit leadership, excellence, and professionalism. The VCU Police Department and Game Changer are being presented the award for working toward improving law enforcement community relations in the Commonwealth of Virginia through in-person and virtual Game Changer events that began taking place in 2019. The model utilizes moderated focus groups to bring together community residents, members of law enforcement, and elected officials to discuss problems and devise solutions to be implemented.
The Game Changer/VCU Police Department partnership formed in 2019 through VCU Athletics, due to the longstanding relationship between VCU Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin, and Game Changer Founder Sean Sheppard. The first event, which was sponsored by VCU Athletics, took place in February, 2019. That event inspired Chief Venuti to invite Game Changer to jointly apply for a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant to fund several Game Changer events at VCU. They were awarded the grant in the fall of 2019.
“It’s an honor to be recognized with the VCU Police Department by the preeminent law enforcement association in the world,” stated Game Changer Founder, Sean Sheppard. “This world needs more people like VCU Police Chief John Venuti, inside and outside of law enforcement. This award reflects our shared belief that any problem can be remedied if we consistently come together. ”
The next virtual VCU Game Changer event will take place on September 9, 2020.
Game Changer was founded by Sean Sheppard M.A. and is a one-of-a-kind program that serves under the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Shep-Ty Inc. umbrella. For more information on Game Changer visit: www.gamechanger1.org