Danville PD's B.R.I.D.G.E. Program Gets New Officers in the Community Before Police Work Begins

Now in its fourth year, the department's three-week B.R.I.D.G.E. Program—Building Relationships, Inspiring Dialog and Growing Engagement—immerses newly hired officers in the community before they begin field training. 

The program is part of their overall community engagement strategy, aiming to produce officers who are not only skilled in law enforcement but also deeply connected to the communities they serve* and exists for two important reasons. First, it helps recruits get to know the City of Danville through learning its history, exploring neighborhoods, connecting with resource providers and identifying the needs of its residents.

Second, it allows Danville residents to meet the department's newest officers before they respond to their first call for service. Those conversations build familiarity, trust and mutual understanding long before an emergency brings them together.

Recently, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Public Relations Coordinator Angela Weight spent two days accompanying the latest B.R.I.D.G.E. class and got a firsthand look at how the program prepares officers for their new roles. 

She summarizes, "during my two days, we connected with community partners they'll need to know, like the Danville Life Saving Crew, God's Storehouse Food Bank, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and the Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (DRHA) where we had a great lunchtime Q and A with DRHA residents. The civil rights tour and history presentation were also very eye-opening. I was genuinely impressed with how comprehensive the three-week B.R.I.D.G.E. schedule is. The officers are starting their careers with heads full of knowledge that could ordinarily take a year to accumulate."

The program culminates in a community service project that deepens participants' connection to the city they'll be serving. So far in 2026, new officers have conducted food collection and distribution programs and given a needed remodel to part of a community resource center. 

The most recent program class graduated on July 10th. DCJS Agency Director Ashaki McNeil and Division of Law Enforcement Director Rick Collins attended the ceremony. 

Could a program like B.R.I.D.G.E. work in your community? Danville's experience suggests that investing three weeks before field training can save months of learning on the job while giving new officers something just as valuable: relationships. By the time they hit the streets, they're already connected to the people, places and partners that make effective policing possible.