FXBG Neighbors Podcast
Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast
FXBG Neighbors Podcast
EP #186 How A Fredericksburg Foundation Strengthens Police Academy Training
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Most of us want safe neighborhoods and fair policing, but we rarely ask a basic question: how do our local officers and public safety professionals actually get trained, and who pays for that training? We sit down with Mike Harvey and Tom Staley from the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Foundation to pull back the curtain on the Regional Police Academy serving Fredericksburg and the surrounding area.
We talk about why the foundation launched in 2016, what “bridging the gap” really looks like, and how community trust grows when people can see the process up close. Mike explains the scope of the academy’s work, from certifying entry level law enforcement to training jail officers, animal control, court security, civil process, and emergency communications. Tom shares how volunteering turned into a meaningful second act in retirement, and why showing up for recruits still matters when the profession is under pressure.
Then we get honest about the funding problem. Mike l lays out how limited state support can be and why that makes it harder to keep pace with modern needs like updated technology, realistic training tools, and the AI era of policing. We also share ways neighbors can engage, including tours, community days, and the July 31 Bridge to Brighter Futures event, plus how tax deductible donations through the 501(c)(3) foundation help close the gap.
If you care about law enforcement training, community policing, and practical ways to strengthen public safety in Fredericksburg, listen now, then subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review to help more people find the show.
Mike Harvey and Tom Staley
Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Foundation
+1 540-371-2875
Welcome And Meet Our Guests
SpeakerThis is the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
Speaker 1Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG Neighbors Podcast, where we share the stories of our favorite local brands. I have two special guests joining me today. We've got Mike Harvey joining us, as well as Tom Staley. They are with the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Foundation. Mike and Tom, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2Thank you so much for having us, Dori.
Speaker 1Well, I am excited about this. I'm excited to learn more about this foundation. So let's start there.
Why The Foundation Started
Speaker 1Share with us what is the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Foundation.
Speaker 2So the foundation was started in 2016 when I saw a need to help bring the community together and actually supplement some funding for our Regional Police Academy. I took over the Academy in 2013 and quickly realized that funding streams for the training of our local police officers was unfortunately very, very limited, very tight. And so we uh saw a need to set up the foundation to not only uh bring in some grants and revenue for the academy, but also to let the communities know uh what we do here at the academy and how they can get involved.
Speaker 1Very interesting. I I imagine most people like me did not even realize there was that need. So uh thank you for for figuring that out and for supplementing something like this. Um, that's really important. And so share with us a little bit more. Let's dive deeper. So, what what is the overall mission and how does this impact the community?
Speaker 2Sure.
Inside Police Academy Training
Speaker 2So, I mean, the the overall mission of the academy is really to try to bridge that gap uh between our training mission here at the academy, um, you know, what we are teaching the recruits and educating the public on what exactly their police officers are learning in the police academy so that we have a better understanding so that we can help uh alleviate uh a lot of that uh mistrust and misunderstanding uh in law enforcement within our communities.
Speaker 1Interesting. And so what kind of training do you provide?
Speaker 2Uh so we offer um everything from entry-level basic trainings, uh so it's uh certification either to be a law enforcement officer, a jail officer, animal control, um, court security, civil process, and uh emergency communications. Um so really, if there's anyone out there with a uh uh a badge and a gun or on the 911, uh they have come through here for their initial training. Uh, and then we're also responsible for all of their continuing education and advanced training. Um, we're basically a schoolhouse for um law enforcement.
Speaker 1Interesting. So I imagine that you hear a ton of myths and misconceptions when it comes to law enforcement. So are there things that you are trying to do to kind of bridge that gap?
Speaker 2Well, I I think probably the biggest myth and misconception out there is that people get into law enforcement, you know, because they they want to be, you know, gung-ho, rah-rah soldiers. And that couldn't be farther from the truth. Are there are there a few of those out there? Sure. But the vast majority of people who come into this profession truly just want to give back to their communities, you know, make their communities safe so that they can raise their their own children, um, feel secure in their own homes. Uh, and so it's it's really a profession of service, and uh it takes it takes a lot of love and dedication in order to do this.
Speaker 1Yeah, I bet. Interesting.
Opening Doors To The Community
Speaker 1So how does the foundation support what the academy does?
Speaker 2Well, I think uh, you know, one of the big things that they the foundation does is they help uh find volunteers. Uh and that's kind of how Tom got involved, and I'll let uh Tom speak to uh the volunteer piece here in a minute. Um, but we also you know we'll host community days where the community can come in and see exactly um what the academy training mission is um and what all goes into um the certification process for a law enforcement officer. Um you know Tom got involved with the foundation because he initially uh started volunteering here uh been a fixture. And so, Tom, if you want to talk about your volunteering experience.
Speaker 3I sure will. Um I enjoyed a long career in the wireless communications industry working for Motorola. Um I got to retire early and I spent most of my career in sales to law enforcement. So I had nothing lined up in retirement. I wanted to give back to those who supported my career and uh started volunteering 10 years ago at the academy from recruit training, helping with blood drives, helping at the command cookout where the chiefs and sheriffs prepare the food for the recruits, um, fundraising events. And then eight years ago, Mike asked me if I would join the board of directors of the foundation and proudly said yes, I would.
Speaker 1Amazing. So you do a
Donations And Bridge To Brighter Futures
Speaker 1lot of work with the community. So, what are some ways that the community can support you back?
Speaker 2Uh sure. So um, you know, some of the ways is um obviously uh if anyone feels moved to donate uh to the foundation, um, we have a a link on our website. Uh all of donations are um tax deductible. We are a 501c3. Um and so that goes a long way in uh you know supporting what we do as a foundation to uh then support uh the training mission of the Academy.
Speaker 1Amazing.
Speaker 3I'd like to add to, I'm sorry, I'd like to add to that uh we're gonna be doing an event here July 31st, where the Academy will be the venue for a um bridge to brighter futures event where we'll be giving away a number of things from backpack school supplies, haircuts, uh things to help the community and hope they get engaged and drawn into what we do here at the Academy and the Foundation.
Speaker 1Amazing, amazing. And so, Tom, we got to hear about your background. Mike, tell us a little bit about your background. How'd you how'd you get into this?
Speaker 2Um so I've been in law enforcement uh in one fashion or another uh since uh 1993 when I joined the Army and was military police officer. Um I started my civilian police career in uh 97 uh with the uh town of Vinton uh down in Roanoke County, and then
Tom And Mike On Service
Speaker 2in 99 moved up to Spotsylvania County, uh where I remained uh and uh rose up to the rank of captain and was the uh division commander for their uh criminal investigations uh before taking over the academy in uh 2013, and I've been here ever since.
Speaker 1Amazing, amazing. And Tom, what do you love most about what you do with the foundation?
Speaker 3You know, um gives me a sense of purpose in retirement. Um I was never big into golf because every time that windmill knocked my ball out of the way, I'd say that's enough. No, I I just uh I just wanted to find a way to help give back to those who helped me during my career. And I think this is probably the best home I could find. Um the academy and their staff are wonderful here. They really do a good job in the training aspects of these recruits that come through. And uh it warms my heart to see recruits coming into this profession because as you can imagine, it's not an easy profession. Uh so every time I come into a new class and there's 25 to 35 students in a class, that's just reassuring knowing that they're going to be backfilling those who are retiring or moving on. Uh so those are the things that uh drive me to come in here.
Speaker 1Amazing. What is a message that you would give someone who is thinking about joining the academy?
Speaker 2Uh wow, a message uh for someone who's thinking about joining the academy. Um, you know, it it takes a special person um to become a law enforcement officer. Um, you really have to have that heart for service, a heart for giving back, um, because this job is going to ask a lot of you and it does take a lot of you. Um and so for someone who is considering this career, um just the knowledge that you know this is a service profession, um, and coming in knowing that um you are as good as the person who is beside you. And you know, we have we hold each other accountable, we hold each other up, uh, we support each other when uh they uh are not doing well. And you know, we're we're really just uh a big family here at the Academy.
Speaker 1I love it, I
Why Funding Limits Modern Policing
Speaker 1love it. So what is something that you wish the listeners knew about the foundation or the academy?
Speaker 2I I I think the biggest uh piece for me is just how limited funding is. Uh, and the fact that I wish I never had to set up a foundation. Um I'm not a fundraiser. Uh I don't like going out and asking people for money. Um, but the way that our academy system is uh set up in Virginia, uh, we have very limited funds. Um in fact, the state provides us less than 130 bucks a year uh to train uh all of our officers, uh each officer, $130 per officer per year. Um and then that means we have to rely on our localities uh to supplement that. And we're a good fiscal steward, but as we progress uh and we see more technologies, um, we see AI coming on. We don't have the funding to provide that state-of-the-art training through academy means. And so we have to rely on sources such as the foundation to help bridge that gap and provide those cutting-edge uh training tools so that we can properly equip our officers uh to go out there and be effective uh in 21st century policing.
Speaker 1Yeah. Well, I hope that uh the listeners are hearing the message because what you both are doing is so incredibly important for our entire community. So thank you both for all that you do. And thank you for coming on the podcast and sharing your message with us. If the listeners want to learn more, where can they find you?
Website, Tours, And Final Thanks
Speaker 2Sure. Uh on our website, which is just rrcj.org. Uh, and they can follow the links there. There are ways to get in contact with us if they want a tour, if they just want to sit down and learn more about the foundation and the academy. Uh, and of course, there are links where they can uh directly donate uh to the academy as well.
Speaker 1Amazing. Well, Mike and Tom, thank you again for joining me on the podcast today and sharing the foundation and the academy with us.
Speaker 2Absolutely. Thank you for having us, Dori. Thank you, Dori.
SpeakerThank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to FXBG Neighbors Podcast.com.