In 1997, COPS funded the creation of the only national training network of Regional Community Policing Institutes (RCPIs) to provide comprehensive and innovative community policing education, training and technical assistance to COPS grantees throughout the nation. RCPIs develop innovative cutting edge curricula on emerging law enforcement issues to challenge and improve traditional training curricula. Topics include but are not limited to escalating school violence, cultural diversity, domestic violence, partnership building, domestic-preparedness, and terrorism. Training focuses on collaborative partnerships and problem-solving strategies for criminal justice practitioners, local government officials, business leaders and community leaders-including youth, volunteers, city employees, elected officials, and social service agencies. As a requirement, training is delivered using adult-learning principles via interactive classroom instruction, CD-ROMS, community forums, teleconferences and the Internet and strives to provide a forum in which law enforcement and community members can discuss sensitive issues.

COPS' national network of RCPIs has trained more than 600,000 officers, community members, and government leaders in innovative approaches to community policing. These approaches include:

• Community Mobilization
• Community Partnerships
• Conflict Resolution
• Crime Analysis and Mapping
• Ethics and Integrity
• Problem Solving
• Rural Community Policing
• Strategic Implementation
• Violence Prevention