CPAM Conference 2011: The Art of Networking, are you Ready?

CPAM Conference 2011: The Art of Networking, Don't miss the opportunity!

I attended my first CPAM conference in 1990, and I have not missed one since. After graduating from the Detroit Police Departments Crime Prevention School ( I just found my picture of the group wow have we changed!) and I remember the sessions that gave us insight into current crime prevention trends, interpersonal issues, safety on the job, the impact of International, national and local crime trends that we would have never thought we'd use in our crime prevention tool box today.
 
I have kept every conference folder and the resources I've obtained used in some type of program or replicated what was provided.  I've learned it's not always the books/manuals or protocols that work, but it's the "people person and active listening skills" used to share those crime prevention concepts and ideas for residential, businesses, faith communities, and fellow workers in creating a successful  "eyes and ears" for the community.
 
I'm excited that at our agency, Pittsfield Township's Department of Public Safety under the direction of Matt Harshberger, we've implemented and introduced to our community a "Community Patrol Unit" with two officers. I'm really excited Officers's Hornbeck and Cassette have joined CPAM and now benefit from the resources and networking that I have for the past twenty-three years.

CPAM's membership has been impacted my budget cuts and fiscal constraints over the past five years. We've had the Michigan's Chiefs of Police Presidents provide an overview of the state of Michigan's law enforcement services at our conferences and what we heard then is true today, we have to do more with less. It's the reality, but our citizens want to know that we'll be there when they need us.

Our efforts with the promotion of Neighborhood, Apartment, Business and Faith Community watch is more important today than ever before. Our schools need S.R.O's and our students, families, and staff want and need our assistance in maintaining a safe environment because of the incidents of school violence, bullying both cyber/traditional.

So what does the CPAM conference mean to you? For those that know me I've shared every program I've ever created, that is how I learned,,, bring your zip files and share with each other and those that are new to who we are, we welcome you and know for a fact we are "Crime Prevention Practitioners"!

Rich Coleman, Leg. Rep. CPAM