CONFERENCE WRAP UP
The Annual Training Symposium occurred March 18-22 and has since been touted as one of the best . The Symposium took place in Long Beach , CA and was filled with topics such as Leadership , Technology , Natural Disaster Preparedness , Homelessness and many more . CPCA also kept true to the theme of “ Navigating an Evolving Profession ” with many workshops on building community relationships and trust amongst community members and law enforcement .
From learning how to craft a message to your community during crisis to using social media platforms to communicate with the public , there was a broad scope of topics geared toward law enforcement executives . Also included were workshops on how to enhance officer performance so that they can address the community appropriately . Chief John Carli and Lieutenant Mark Donaldson ( Vacaville PD ) led a fantastic session on Addressing Homelessness and provided some takeaways on how to improve the quality of life for every member of the community . Captain Chris Hsiung ( Mountain View PD ) influenced the audience with his expertise on creating ( and maintaining ) your department ’ s digital brand . He easily discussed the importance of the influence of social media and how agencies can use it as an important tool in their communities .
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Keynote speaker Jeff Wolf reminded us all of the responsibility and challenge that comes with leadership . He focused on the need to stay positive , communicate and motivate . The conference closed with a debrief on the various natural disasters that occurred in California this last year and solidified the overarching theme of the conference on how to communicate with our communities and build trust .
We heard from Cliff Meidl , who at an early age was involved in a tragic accident that left him without the use of both of his legs . Several years later through many surgical procedures and an extensive rehabilitation process , Cliff was able to gain enough mobility to walk again ( to the amazement of his doctors ). Nearly ten years after his horrific accident and his commitment and dedication to battle through adversity , Cliff realized his dream when he marched into the Opening Ceremonies of the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta as a member of the USA Olympic Kayaking Team .
One of the highlights of the conference are the awards . On Wednesday we recognized the Redlands Police Department with the CPCA Technology Award . That evening we presented two special awards ; The Joe Malloy and Allen W . Sill awards . The Joe Malloy Award which is presented to a Cal Chiefs ’ member based upon the recipient ’ s professionalism , leadership , energy , and commitment to the mission of the association was awarded to Walnut Creek Police Chiefs , Tom Chaplin . The Allen