NJ Cops | Page 79

stopped for a while. I heard it was back again, and that two guys in my department went before me. I asked them about it. I asked the chief, and he sent me.” The public manager program is designed to develop publicsector employees, administrators and supervisors into organizational leaders who are efficient, effective and ethical. Among the areas of core emphasis in the program are topics such as budgeting, problem solving and leadership. Program officials describe the program as helping leaders navigate the demands and challenges of today’s public management environment. Those are some of the values Gallagher highlights about his motivation to take part in the program. In his role, Gallagher – as do other administrative captains – handles budgets and purchasing duties within New Jersey state rules. “These are things I need help with that I haven’t done before,” he said, referring to rules that require purchases to follow certain state contracts and must involve approved vendors. “Purchasing the equipment and monitoring the budget is not a tough-guy thing, not a very police thing. It’s a job that needs to be done, and if it’s not done properly we will run out of money at the end of the year, which can really hurt the department.” He’s also been drawn to the practical values from the course modules, including = = = = a capstone = = =project = that requires = = program participants to approach = = = come