Wilmington, Del.- The Criminal Justice Council is pleased to announce that the Delaware Capitol Police’s Violence Intervention Program has received the inaugural “Beau” Biden Outstanding Criminal Justice Program Award.

The intervention program, developed in 2013 by Capitol Police Chief John Horsman, provides protection for people involved in domestic violence-related court appearances. Cases involving incidents of domestic violence can often be volatile. The program evaluates the risk of potential violence and provides any necessary protection to anyone involved in the case via security details and escorts, said Capitol Police Lt. Britt Davis, who oversees the program.

“It takes a team to put together a program like this,” Davis said. “It’s an honor to be the first recipient of this award. Beau had a huge impact as attorney general and through his focused efforts toward helping victims.”

The program is the first of its kind in the nation, according to Davis. Since it began, the program has provided 248 security details.

“I am very proud of the members of the Delaware Capitol Police and the fine work they do. This program is yet another example of the initiative they take in ensuring the public’s safety and exemplifies the care they have for our domestic violence victims,” said James Mosley, Secretary, Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

The award is named after Delaware’s former Attorney General and is administered by the state’s Criminal Justice Council. It recognizes programs that provide effective services that address criminal justice issues in Delaware’s communities.

“We thought that the program being utilized by Capitol Police was the most appropriate nominee this year and we’re really pleased to give it to them,” said Criminal Justice Council chair and Dover attorney James Liguori. “They are worthy of the award in honor of Beau.”

Capitol Police received the award during the Criminal Justice Council’s December 14 meeting at the Buena Vista State Conference Center in New Castle County.

“This award is a fitting way to honor our former attorney general and the winning program perfectly captures Beau’s mission in life: standing up for and protecting victims,” said Christian Kervick, executive director of the Criminal Justice Council. “While this is the first award given, it is our hope that each year we will be able to select a program that honors Beau’s legacy of service.”

A few of the other programs nominated for this year’s award include:

• Culinary Arts Training with Job Placement/The Hospitality School
• Equine Assisted Learning/Courageous Hearts
• Dover After School Program/YMCA of Delaware
• Targeted Analytic Policing System/ New Castle County Police Department
• Juvenile Sex Offender Registry/ Office of the Public Defender

About the award:

The Criminal Justice Council selects nominations from the community, current and recent-past sub-grantees. Agencies are invited to nominate a program(s) that exemplifies excellence in improving the criminal justice system or provides effective services to those in need in our communities.

The Nomination Form and selection criteria are available on the CJC’s website. http://cjc.delaware.gov/AnnualBeauBidenAward.shtml

The CJC will be accepting nominations for the 2017 Beau Biden Award during the late spring or early summer months. Applicants should provide a brief description of their program, how it may work in collaboration with other programs to achieve their goals, the most significant achievement of the program and other facts that will help the award committee in making their determination.

An Award Selection Committee will give particular consideration to those programs that are innovative and demonstrate positive results.

Please contact Scott McLaren, Deputy Director of the Criminal Justice Council, at (302) 577-8693, or Scott.McLaren@delaware.gov, with questions about the award.

Please contact Wendy Hudson, Chief of Community Relations with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, at (302) 744-2680, or wendy.hudson@delaware.gov, with questions about Capitol Police’s program.

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