The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 23, Number 10 | Page 5

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | December 2017
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
MITCHELL C. SKLAR
NJSACOP Continues Pioneering Work Creating New Partnerships
“The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is pleased to announce the
appointment of Nóirín O’Sullivan, former Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, the
Republic of Ireland’s police force, as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for
Europe. The Director of Strategic Partnerships for Europe is a newly created position
at the IACP, and an instrumental step by the association to further expand its global
reach and representation.” [October 26, 2017]
The recent announcement by the International Association of Chiefs of Police [IACP] of the creation of a new
Strategic Partnership Director position points out the vital importance of partnerships, collaboration, and
cooperative learning among law enforcement agencies and professionals – on a local, regional, national, and
international basis. In recent years the NJSACOP has been at the forefront of creating and strengthening links
with partners around the country and throughout the Common Law, “policing by consent” nations. In light of the
contemporary threats facing all police agencies, such connections and exchange of information and learning is
more than just a “nice to have”; it is in fact a “need to have.”
While the past decade has seen a tremendous growth in these connections, the NJSACOP has a long history of
reaching out beyond our borders to share and learn, as well as raise the profile of the Association, our members,
and policing within New Jersey as a whole. As far back as 1931 Newark Police Chief James McRell represented the
NJSACOP at the Association of Chiefs of Police of Europe conference held in Paris. Upon his return to New Jersey,
Chief McRell reported to the NJSACOP membership on the “good and instructive program” conducted by the
European Chiefs. The exchange of information was not just in one direction. As part of his mission in attending the
conference, Chief McRell shared the unique “uniform hand signals” manual created by and published by the
NJSACOP, which he reported had put the NJSACOP “on the map.”
Today, the NJSACOP is without doubt “on the map,” enjoying a reputation as one of the nation’s premier law
enforcement professional associations. This is due, in part, to the important partnerships the Association has
forged with international partners, including the College of Policing [Great Britain], the Scottish Police College –
Tulliallan, Greater Manchester Police [UK], and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. Closer to home, the
NJSACOP and the New Castle County [Delaware] Police have forged an exceptional working partnership to bring
the NJSACOP Command & Leadership Academy to police professionals throughout the region.
As usual, the NJSACOP is not content to sit still; we have adopted as a governing philosophy the maxim “If you
are not moving forward, you are falling behind.” With that in mind, the NJSACOP has created a new relationship
for the exchange of learning and information with the Garda College, the national center for police training,
development and learning within the An Garda Síochána, the national police force in the Irish State. Additionally,
we are working on an exciting new working partnership with the Emergency Planning College [UK], one of the
world’s leading centers for organizational training and exercising in public safety, emergency and crisis
management, business continuity, cyber resilience, and event management. Links are also being created with the
Police of the Czech Republic, Office of the International Police Cooperation Division, which will be key in the
construction of an exceptional new professional and organizational development offering from the NJSACOP.
While such partnerships (as well as our annual Senior Leaders Seminars conducted in conjunction with our
partners) have indeed put the NJSACOP and police leadership in New Jersey “on the map,” they of course serve a
much larger and more important purpose: creating the best possible police leaders and police agencies for our
communities and all of the people that we serve.
Mitchell C. Sklar, Esq.
NJSACOP Executive Director
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