The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | September 2017
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Later in the day the delegation was taken to Macron Stadium, the home of the Bolton Wanderers Football Club, one of the region’ s professional soccer teams. The group was given a security tour of the stadium, conducted by both police command personnel and on-site staff, outlining how they prepared for the security issues that come with hosting a match. The challenges faced by the security team, in conjunction with the local police, for an event of this type were fully explored, and our delegates were given an inside look at those challenges and how our hosts prepare to meet them.
The following day’ s agenda included a welcome address from the Greater Manchester Police Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling, and classroom presentations( and facilitated discussions) on Leadership Professional Development; Enhanced Customer Communications Skills; and Levels of Leadership by the Greater Manchester Police Leadership Academy.
Following morning review and reflections, Day 4 commenced with a visit to Old Trafford, the iconic home field of the Manchester United Football Club. The security and policing challenges that confront security and police at the stadium of one of( if not the) most famous and high-profile professional sports teams in the world, were addressed by retired GMP Chief Inspector Gary Simpson, currently the team’ s Deputy Director of Stadium Safety & Security. He addressed not only the intricate and complex safety protocols for the stadium, but also the coordination along with the police of the safety, security, and counter-terrorism operations around the stadium area, including the parking areas and associated roads, mass transit system, and the local restaurants and pubs.
The afternoon was reserved for a leadership“ staff ride” led by our very own Professor Pat Schuber of Fairleigh Dickinson University, where the focus was on the events, personalities and lessons to be derived from three important figures in British history. The site for this experiential learning exercise was the city of Chester.
Day 5 began with review and reflections, and then the delegation again left Sedgley Park, and was hosted by the National Crime Agency( NCA) at their northern regional headquarters in Warrington, located between Manchester and Liverpool. The stated role of the NCA is“ to protect the public by disrupting and bringing to justice those serious and organised criminals who present the highest risk to the UK.” Our delegation was given a series of briefings on the work of the NCA and their policing partners, as well as an in-depth case study focusing on a contemporary operation.
The delegation then moved on to the headquarters of another major regional police force, the Merseyside Police, located in the Liverpool city center. Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Ian Critchley addressed our delegates about the leadership challenges his force faces, in particular focusing on their organizational efforts to fairly, transparently, and effectively provide police services to a broadly diverse population that also includes a variety of socio-economic communities. ACC Critchley and his team were especially passionate about the Force’ s strenuous efforts to connect with and serve all of their communities. This included a discussion and presentation led by Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Richardson on a community-based approach to dealing with guns and gangs. The next day also saw the delegation leave Sedgley Park for the Greater Manchester Police headquarters complex, located about 2
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