- WVTS
- DoD COOL
- Missouri DHE
- POST Approved for CLEE
- NICCS aligned
Certified Workplace Violence & Threat Specialist (WVTS)
Recognize Concerning Behavior, Assess Risk, and Coordinate a Defensible Threat-Management Response.
The Certified Workplace Violence & Threat Specialist program prepares security, HR, law-enforcement, education, and organizational leaders to identify behavioral warning signs, assess threats, coordinate intervention, strengthen prevention programs, and plan for crisis response and recovery.
- 50
- Hours
- 50
- CPE credits
- Lifetime
- Access
- 1 Year
- Exam License
- FBI
- DHS
- FedEx
- Citi
- Mossberg
- DEA
- DoD
- 3-Day Money-Back Guarantee
- Full Lifetime Access
- 1 Year Exam License
- Official Study Manual
- Official Online Training
- Official Prep Review Quizzes
or pay over time with Affirm · Sezzle
Military / Gov COOL and TA eligible
Workplace violence rarely begins with one unmistakable warning sign—and organizations lose time when concerning behavior is handled in isolation.
Threat-related concerns may emerge through communications, conduct, grievances, behavioral changes, policy violations, domestic circumstances, or escalating conflict. Organizations must know how to collect relevant information, assess risk without relying on stereotypes, coordinate stakeholders, document decisions, and select proportionate interventions. WVTS is designed for professionals who need a structured framework for prevention, behavioral threat assessment, case management, emergency planning, and organizational recovery.
Warning signs are missed when information remains separated across HR, security, management, education, and law enforcement.
Threat assessments lose credibility when behavioral indicators, context, protective factors, and uncertainty are not documented.
Organizations become more vulnerable when prevention, intervention, emergency response, and post-incident recovery are treated as separate responsibilities.
WVTS provides a structured approach to workplace-violence prevention, behavioral threat assessment, investigative interviewing, stakeholder coordination, emergency action, legal responsibilities, and organizational recovery.
What sets this program apart
Prevention Through Case Management
Moves beyond awareness by examining how organizations identify concerning behavior, gather information, assess risk, document decisions, and manage evolving situations.
Behavioral and Investigative Perspective
Integrates behavioral indicators, investigative interviews, interpersonal deception concepts, threat assessment, and evidence-informed decision-making.
Organizational Coordination and Readiness
Connects HR, security, management, education, law enforcement, legal responsibilities, emergency planning, partnerships, and recovery.
Professional Certification Assessment
Certification requires completion of the applicable training, eligibility, assessment, and proctored examination requirements. Access to the program alone does not result in certification.
Choose your enrollment path
Self-pay, military/government funding, or employer sponsorship — we'll take you to the right option.
A board-issued credential, recognized where it counts
- DoD COOL
- Missouri DHE
- POST Approved for CLEE
- NICCS aligned
Board certification programs: Students must submit all course quizzes, score 70% or better on all sections of the course and obtain a 70% or better on the final online examination, and submit proof eligibility up completion of your exam application. All fees must be paid in full. Upon successful completion of your program, the McAfee Institute will issue your board certification. Students who successfully complete the program before meeting the eligibility will be put into a holding pattern until the eligibility is met at which time the credentials will be issued.
Completion of training does not guarantee employment, promotion, security clearance eligibility, or acceptance by any agency or third party.
Eligible for military & government credentialing assistance
Select certification programs may be eligible for use with military and government credentialing or tuition assistance benefits, subject to agency and individual eligibility requirements. Participation does not imply endorsement by any agency.
State & Federal Regulatory Approvals
Missouri DHEWD
State-certified to operate under 6 CSR 10-5.010
Dept. of Higher Education and Workforce Development
NICCS Education & Training Catalog
Listed training provider, NICCS Education & Training Catalog
Mapped to NIST NICE framework · operated by CISA
Missouri POST
50 CLEE hours approved · Control #14907
13 legal studies · 3 interpersonal perspectives · 30 technical studies · 4 skill development
Officers should confirm acceptance with their licensing agency.
What You'll Learn
The WVTS program develops knowledge and applied capabilities across the following workplace-violence prevention and threat-management areas:
Joshua A. McAfee · Founder & CEO, McAfee Institute
15 years building credentials for the professionals who actually do the work. WVTS was developed alongside practitioners from federal, state, and corporate investigation teams.
Built for professionals responsible for workplace safety, threat assessment, and coordinated response
WVTS is designed for professionals whose duties involve workplace violence prevention, behavioral threat assessment, security, human resources, school safety, emergency management, investigations, legal compliance, or organizational crisis planning.
This course is perfect for
Law Enforcement Officers and Security Managers responsible for threat assessments, violence prevention, and emergency response in workplace and educational settings.
Human Resources and Corporate Security Professionals who need in-depth knowledge of workplace violence prevention, active shooter response, and legal responsibilities.
Educators and School Administrators focused on creating safe environments, managing threats, and developing safety protocols.
Emergency Management and Crisis Response Coordinators tasked with planning and executing response strategies for incidents of workplace violence or school threats.
Corporate Leaders and Managers looking to ensure a safe and compliant workplace by understanding the fundamentals of threat assessment and prevention.
This course may not be for you if
You are seeking general awareness training rather than professional preparation in threat assessment, prevention, and response.
Your role does not involve safety, security, HR, education, investigations, emergency planning, risk, compliance, or organizational leadership.
You are looking for clinical mental-health diagnosis or treatment training rather than multidisciplinary threat-management practice.
You want an active-shooter response course only, without broader prevention, assessment, intervention, and recovery content.
You are unwilling to use structured, documented, multidisciplinary, and legally informed decision-making.
Is this program right for you?
Program-fit questions candidates ask before they enroll.
No specialized threat-assessment background is required beyond the published eligibility standards. The program develops a structured understanding of prevention, assessment, investigation, intervention, emergency response, and recovery.
Eligibility & requirements
McAfee Institute trains military, law enforcement, and investigative professionals. Eligibility reflects that. Verification is the reason the credential carries weight in the field.
Education & experience
Any one of the qualifying paths below. Experience must be in investigations, law enforcement, criminal justice, military, or similar fields with direct criminal investigation or intelligence responsibilities.
Path A Bachelor's or higher + 1 year experience
Path B Associate's degree + 2 years experience
Path C HS diploma or equivalent + 4 years experience
Relevant fields include investigations, law enforcement, criminal justice, military, and/or another similar field with direct criminal investigation and/or intelligence responsibilities.
Conduct requirements
Applicants are not eligible with any felony conviction or pending felony charge, or any conviction or pending charge involving violence, dishonesty or breach of trust, or crimes against persons, or other disqualifying offenses. Criminal history must be disclosed at enrollment and may be verified.
International enrollment
McAfee Institute is a U.S.-based institution serving a primarily U.S. professional audience. International enrollments may be subject to additional review, identity verification, professional affiliation verification, and compliance screening. Applicants located in certain countries or regions, or associated with restricted persons or entities under U.S. law, may be ineligible for enrollment.
- 3-Day Money-Back Guarantee
- Full Lifetime Access
- 1 Year Exam License
- Official Study Manual
- Official Online Training
- Official Prep Review Quizzes
or pay over time with Affirm · Sezzle
Military / Gov COOL and TA eligible
Read the full eligibility and conduct policyDisclosure & verification
Applicants must disclose criminal history as requested during enrollment. McAfee Institute may verify eligibility through documentation and/or a background check when required by a program component, partner environment, exam vendor, or when reasonably necessary to protect program integrity. Disclosures are required to the extent permitted by applicable law.
False information
Any material falsification or omission is grounds for denial of admission, removal from the program, and/or denial of certification.
No guarantee of outcome
Completion of training does not guarantee employment, promotion, security clearance eligibility, or acceptance by any agency or third party.
The WVTS curriculum progresses from workplace-violence foundations and prevention programs into active-shooter planning, behavioral threat assessment, school safety, investigations, interviews, behavioral analysis, organizational recovery, legal obligations, partnerships, auditing, and emergency action. Across 17 modules and 50 hours of instruction, learners examine how organizations can identify concerns, assess risk, coordinate intervention, and strengthen readiness.
About this Course
Specialized certification in workplace violence prevention, threat assessment, and intervention strategies. Learn to identify warning signs, conduct threat assessments, and implement effective prevention programs.
The Certified Workplace Violence and Threat Specialist (WVTS) program by McAfee Institute offers unparalleled training tailored for law enforcement, intelligence professionals, HR leaders, and educators. This certification provides you with advanced skills and strategies for assessing, preventing, and managing threats in workplace and school settings. With WVTS, you’ll learn how to handle real-world situations such as active shooter incidents, workplace violence, and crisis recovery.
Through dynamic, real-world training modules, expert guidance, and hands-on exercises, the WVTS certification empowers you to lead in your field, ready to handle high-stakes scenarios and ensure safety in your organization.
Everything you need to certify
One enrollment includes the full course library, the official manual, the proctored exam license, and your board credential on completion.
- Official study manual
- Prep review quizzes
- Online training program
- Exam license (1 year)
- 50+ hours of instruction
- Mobile & desktop access
- Board certification (digital + physical)
- 50 CPE / CEU credits
- Closed captions
More Than Just Certifications
Join a comprehensive professional development platform designed exclusively for law enforcement, intelligence, and investigation professionals.
Active Community
Engage with verified professionals in law enforcement and intelligence
Exclusive Jobs
Access career opportunities not listed elsewhere
CPE Tracking
Automatic continuing professional education credit management
Expert Network
Connect with federal agents and industry leaders
Communities
Join private discussion groups with peers
Resources
Articles, whitepapers, tools and more
Three ways to fund your certification.
Self-pay · Military / Gov COOL · Employer-funded
Pay once. Lifetime access included.
3-day money-back guarantee
Interest-free via Affirm or Sezzle. 6–12 month plans available.
Military / Gov COOL eligible? Use DoD/Navy/Army/Coast Guard/Air Force COOL or TA funding — switch to the tab for the invoice request flow.
Need financial help? — available for self-paying students demonstrating financial need.
Enrollment, examination, and policy FAQs
- Our certifications are trusted by more than 4,500 employers, including government agencies, law enforcement departments, intelligence units, and private-sector organizations. Programs are recognized by POST (various states), DoD COOL & CA, NICCS, and the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development.
Not sure if this is the right credential?
Talk to an advisor about eligibility, fit, and funding paths.
Build the judgment and coordination needed to manage concerning behavior before a crisis escalates.
Complete the WVTS certification process and document specialized education and assessment in workplace-violence prevention, behavioral threat assessment, investigative interviewing, crisis planning, legal responsibilities, stakeholder coordination, and organizational recovery.