The Alaska Chapter Board of Directors is appreciative of the efforts of the National Office’s John Kennedy, Director of Education and Training and Joe Collins, Co-chair of the Officer Safety and Wellness Committee for working diligently with us to bring the Comprehensive Officer Resiliency Train-the-Trainer program to Alaska. Eighteen trainers from around the state from various agencies came together at the Anchorage Police Department Training Center to receive the team teaching from instructors Buddy Johnson (Georgia), Ron Winegar (Idaho), Joe Collins (Wisconsin) and Vinny Greany (New York). The two and a half days of training has prepared our trainers to incorporate officer resiliency into the values of their departments, families, and communities. Two of our members, Tom Dunn (Session #253) and Joe Gamache (Session #272) joined 16 other troopers, officers, supervisors and commanders in preparing to share the vital knowledge toward improving the quality of life in Alaska. Joe set up a group email and several trainers are already reporting using the lessons learned.
Thank you to Motorola, Acadia Healthcare, Alaska Police Standards Council, Department of Public Safety, Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, Anchorage Police Department and our Alaska Chapter for the financial assistance in making this happen. A special thanks to our Vice President of the Southcentral Region and Training Committee Chair, Barry Wilson (Session # 244) for helping me to spearhead and host this valuable training.
Buddy Johnson (Ses. # 244), Ron Winegar (Ses. # 264), Joe Collins (Ses. #236), Vinny Greany (Ses. # 240)
Alaska Chapter Members Tom Dunn (second from left) and Joe Gamache (second from right)
Now that the officer resiliency training is wrapped up, our focus has turned fully to organizing the Executive Development Conference to be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Anchorage December 5-7, 2019. Our general membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 4th at 3:00 p.m. Go to our website https://fbinaaak.org for a schedule of events and presentations.
Although our space is limited we welcome members from outside Alaska to join us in our excellent training and networking. The theme for our annual Christmas party to be held on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at the Hilton Garden Inn is “Space: The Final Frontier in the Last Frontier.” Wear your space clothes for a good time in between the serious and important training that will be delivered.
Elections will be held this year with Barry Wilson (Session # 244) running for the two-year term of President and Sean McGee (Session #202) running as the incumbent for his two-year term of Vice President of the Northern Region. Sean will also be the Alaska Chapter’s Youth Leadership Program Coordinator for 2019.
After being in Alaska for 42 years I am wrapping up and moving to Colorado, hopefully next summer. I could not have asked for a more successful law enforcement career than what I experienced in the great state of Alaska. I have enjoyed my many years of involvement in the Alaska Chapter, and I look forward to joining the Rocky Mountain Chapter.