Report on the Liberty University and Virginia State Police Partnership: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Strategic Alliance for Public Service

A groundbreaking partnership was announced between Liberty University’s Helms School of Government and the Virginia State Police. This initiative establishes a direct pathway for criminal justice students to complete their undergraduate degrees while concurrently obtaining certification from the Virginia State Police Basic Trooper Academy. The program was launched at a ceremony featuring Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, who endorsed the collaboration as an innovative model for public service recruitment. This report analyzes the partnership’s significant contributions to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Strengthening Institutions for Peace and Justice (SDG 16)

The partnership directly addresses the objectives of SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

• Building Effective Institutions: By creating a streamlined pipeline of educated candidates, the program strengthens the capacity of the Virginia State Police. VSP Superintendent Col. Matthew Hanley noted the initiative is critical for addressing staffing goals with “qualified people of high character.”
• Promoting the Rule of Law: The program ensures future law enforcement officers are trained within a university environment that, according to Dean Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jason Bohm, instills “honor, values, and character,” which is fundamental to maintaining the rule of law and public trust.
• Enhancing Public Safety: Governor Youngkin highlighted that the program’s efficiency will lead to “more troopers on the street” more quickly, directly contributing to the goal of ensuring safe and secure communities.

Fostering Quality Education and Decent Work (SDG 4 & SDG 8)

The initiative serves as a model for integrating higher education with vocational training, aligning with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

1. Relevant Skills for Employment (SDG 4.4): The program provides students with specialized, job-relevant skills by merging academic coursework with professional police academy training, ensuring graduates are prepared for immediate employment.
2. Efficient Transition to Decent Work (SDG 8.5): It accelerates the school-to-work transition, providing graduates with immediate access to full and productive employment in public service.
3. Diverse Career Opportunities: Col. Hanley emphasized the wide range of career paths available within the VSP, from patrol and investigations to specialized units like aviation and tactical teams, offering long-term, stable employment.

A Model for Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration (SDG 17)

This initiative exemplifies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by demonstrating an effective collaboration between academia and a government entity to achieve common objectives.

• Public-Academic Partnership: The formal agreement between Liberty University and the Virginia State Police showcases a strategic partnership designed to address a critical societal need.
• Government Endorsement: The active support and participation of the Virginia Governor’s office underscore the commitment from state leadership to foster innovative solutions for public sector challenges.
• Innovative and Replicable Model: As the first institution to partner with the Virginia State Police in this capacity, Liberty University has established a pioneering framework that could be replicated to strengthen public institutions elsewhere.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education – The article focuses on a partnership between Liberty University and the Virginia State Police to provide a unique educational pathway for criminal justice students, combining an undergraduate degree with professional certification.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The program is designed to streamline students’ paths to employment, creating a more efficient transition from education to a career in law enforcement and addressing staffing needs within the Virginia State Police.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – The core purpose of the partnership is to strengthen a key public institution—the Virginia State Police—by increasing the number of qualified, well-trained officers to serve communities and uphold justice.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – The article is centered on a “groundbreaking partnership” between a university (a private entity) and a state government agency (a public entity) to achieve shared objectives related to education and public service.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
  • The partnership enables students to “complete their undergraduate degrees while simultaneously earning certification through the Virginia State Police Basic Trooper Academy.” This directly provides students with the vocational skills and certification necessary for employment as a state trooper.
• Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
  • The program aims to “streamline students’ paths from college to public service” and get them “at work quicker.” This directly addresses youth employment by creating a clear and accelerated career path, reducing the time between graduation and employment.
• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
  • The Superintendent of the Virginia State Police stated that one of his top goals is to “ensure sufficient staffing.” The partnership is a direct strategy to bolster the capacity and effectiveness of the state police by recruiting “qualified people of high character.”
• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
  • The article explicitly details a public-private partnership between Liberty University and the Virginia State Police, described as a “novel partnership” and an “innovation.” This collaboration is presented as a model for achieving goals that neither entity could accomplish as effectively alone.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 4.4:
  • Indicator: The number of students enrolled in and graduating from the dual-certification program. The article mentions the “inaugural student candidate, senior Matthew Wirth,” implying that the program will track its participants, which serves as a direct measure of its output.
• For Target 8.6:
  • Indicator: The number of graduates from the program who are hired by the Virginia State Police. Governor Youngkin’s statement that the innovation will “lead to more troopers on the street” and get them “at work quicker” implies that the number of new hires and the reduced time-to-hire are key metrics of success.
• For Target 16.6:
  • Indicator: The increase in staffing levels within the Virginia State Police as a result of the program. The Superintendent’s goal to “ensure sufficient staffing” and the Dean’s comment that “we can assist with the state recruit numbers” point to the number of new recruits as a primary indicator of strengthening the institution.
• For Target 17.17:
  • Indicator: The formal establishment and continuation of the partnership agreement between Liberty University and the Virginia State Police. The announcement and ribbon-cutting ceremony described in the article mark the official launch of this partnership, which is itself an indicator of cross-sector collaboration.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: liberty.edu