EDUCATION
Taking the lead
Rutgers CPM program empowers Local 245 member
to give his department direction
■ BY DAN CAMPANA
Fort Lee Police Officer and PBA Local 245 member Stephen
Gallagher knows this about how education impacts law
enforcement and his career.
If you stop learning, you’ll get left behind. On a personal
level, the 22-year police veteran recognizes what areas he needs
to focus on in order to keep doing his job to the best of his abilities.
“This is an important job, but it’s changing all the time,” Gallagher said. “It will pass you by if you sit down and don’t learn
… you will be obsolete in five years.”
Gallagher, an administrative captain since 2014, has always
thought about continuing his education. He’s enjoyed learning
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NEW JERSEY COPS
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APRIL 2016
throughout his life, but
timing and other factors
prevented
him
from
enrolling in professional
advancement classes until
recently. He’s now in the
midst of the Rutgers University School of Public
Affairs and Administrators
Certified Public Manager
Program.
“I was interested years
ago, but at the time they
were only sending administrators,” Gallagher said.
“Then
the
program
Stephen Gallagher