Matthew Shepard Foundation Funds Training

Posted on Posted in Announcements, News and Announcements, Press Release Tagged with , , ,

We are excited to announce that the Matthew Shepard Foundation will be providing 300 scholarships for law enforcement professionals in the United States to complete our Hate Crimes Investigations course and LGBT Law Enforcement Liaison Academy.

Starting on August 1, 2022, personnel employed by any law enforcement agency in the United States can enroll in the online Hate Crimes Investigations class or LGBT Law Enforcement Liaison Academy and automatically receive a full scholarship!

This opportunity is available to the first 200 members of law enforcement to enroll in the Hate Crimes Investigations course and first 100 to enroll in the LGBT Law Enforcement Liaison Academy.

Out to Protect founder and president Greg Miraglia said, “We are so thrilled to be partnering with the Matthew Shepard Foundation and truly grateful to have these scholarships available for law enforcement.  So often agency budgets are limited.  Now with the generous support of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, funding is no longer an obstacle.”

The Matthew Shepard Foundation’s mission is to amplify the story of Matt to inspire individuals, organizations, and communities to embrace the dignity and equality of all people. Through local, regional, and national outreach, we empower individuals to find their voice to create change and challenge communities to identify and address hate that lives within their schools, neighborhoods, and homes.

Since 1998, the Foundation has advocated for federal hate crime laws and training for law enforcement on how to investigate reported hate crimes. In 2009, President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act which expanded hate crimes law throughout the nation. However, for state and federal hate crime laws to be effective, law enforcement must know how to apply them.  From May 2017 – October 2021, the Foundation provided hate crimes training for 1,060 law enforcement officers and 76 prosecutors in 45 states.

The partnership with Out To Protect allows the Foundation to expand its reach, providing access to this unique training for officers in every corner of our nation. The fact is hate crimes are real, on the rise, chronically underreported, and have widespread negative impacts on targeted communities. It is our duty to pay attention, sound the alarm, and work to solve this growing public safety emergency.

However, funding for training is often an obstacle for law enforcement agencies, which is why the Foundation is committed to ensuring the online training is available for all law enforcement professionals who want it.

Law enforcement personnel can register for classes and automatically receive a full scholarship via our website. Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.