International Conference for Police & Law Enforcement Executives 2010

Strategic Policing: The Future in the Present

May 2-4 in Richmond Hill, ON, Canada Sheraton Parkway Hotel

The theme of the sixth annual conference was "Strategic Policing: The Future in the Present" highlighted the growing importance of utilizing a strategic approach in leading your organization and in managing your career. In addition to highly respected police chiefs, private sector presenters offered their perspectives on executive issues that were common to both the private and public sectors. This conference also highlighted major case studies, providing delegates with an in depth analysis of situations that went right and why they were successful.

Participants Included

Accident Support Services International Ltd. Belleville Police Service Brandon Police Service Bruce Power Calgary Police Service Canadian Centre For Unmanned Vehicle Systems Canadian Forces Military Police Canadian Police College Canadian Security Intelligence Service Chatham-Kent Police Service CN Police Correctional Service Canada Dakota Ojibway Police Service Delta Police Department Durham Regional Police Edmonton Police Service External Relations Branch, Public Safety Division, MCSCS Federal Bureau Of Investigation File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council Firearms Enterprices Nig Limited Fujitsu Canada Gendarmerie Royale Du Canada Guelph Police Service Halton Regional Police Service Hamilton Police Service Harris Canada Systems, Inc. ICPO-INTERPOL Kingston Police Lethbridge Regional Police Service Listuguj Police Department London Police Service Medicine Hat Police Service Milwaukee Police Department Ministry Of Interior Of The United Arab Emirates Mohawk Council Of Kahnawake New Glasgow Police Service New Westminster Police

Niagara Regional Police Service Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service North Vancouver RCMP Detachment Norwood Police Division Ontario Provincial Police Orangeville Police Service Oslo Metropolitan Police Ottawa Police Service Peel Regional Police Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service Port Hope Police Service Rama Police Service Rocco J Diina R.C.M.P. R.C.M.P. "E" Division R.C.M.P. Surrey Detachment R.C.M.P. North Vancouver Detachment Saanich Police Department Saskatchewan Penitentiary Corrections Canada Saskatoon Police Service Sault Ste Marie Police Service Service De Police De La Ville De Montreal Six Nations Police South Simcoe Police Service Stirling-Rawdon Police Service Sureté Du Québec Thunder Bay Police Service Toronto Police Service Town Of Truro Transit Police United States Marshals Service Vancouver Police Department Versaterm Inc. Walpole Island First Nation West Grey Police Service Windsor Police Service York Regional Police

Some Comments from our Delegates

• Well organized and high calibre presenters...Peel Regional Police
• Excellent. First one I have attended and it was very informative...Durham Regional Police
• Overall excellent conference...Ontario Provincial Police
• Excellent and well organized conference. Great leaders with well known reputations attending makes for a very valuable few days...Vancouver Police Department
• Informative. Great pace and truly appropriate presentations. Well done. Thank you...Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Excellent conference. Great Presentations. Many great presenters...Truro Board of Police Commissioners

2010 Guest Speakers

Note: Speakers are in alphabetical order 

Leroy D. Baca
Sherrif
Los Angeles County Sherrif's Department

On December 7, 1998, Sheriff Baca was sworn in as Los Angeles County’s 30th Sheriff, having been elected by the citizens of Los Angeles County. Sheriff Baca commands the largest sheriff’s department in the world and supervises more than 13,000 sworn and civilian personnel.

Sheriff Baca began his public service career on August 23, 1965, when he was sworn into the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as a Deputy Sheriff Trainee. Sheriff Baca excelled as the Commander of numerous stations as well as Aero Bureau and Special Enforcement Bureau.

As the Chief of Court Services Division, Sheriff Baca directed the strategy that led to the merger of the Sheriff’s Department with the Marshal’s Department. The merger saved the taxpayers of Los Angeles County 14 million dollars per year. For his efforts, Sheriff Baca received the Department’s Distinguished Service award.

Gary Bass, O.O.M
Deputy Commissioner, Pacific Region
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Deputy Commissioner Bass joined the RCMP from New Brunswick in 1971 and, following training, was posted to Canada’s East Coast where he worked in General Duties, Underwater Recovery Operations, National Criminal Intelligence Section and the General Investigation Section.

In 1992, he was commissioned to the rank of Inspector and transferred to British Columbia’s Provincial Serious Crime Section. Deputy Commissioner Bass has investigated and overseen a multitude of complex investigations, including several hundred homicides. He has been accepted as an expert witness in the Supreme Court of Canada with respect to Major Case Management, Organized Crime and Drug investigations.

In December 2006, Deputy Commissioner Bass was promoted to his current rank and position as the Deputy Commissioner, Pacific Region and Commanding Officer “E” Division for the RCMP in British Columbia. He is responsible for all policing matters for the 5,800 police officers serving hundreds of communities from 127 detachments.

William Blair
President, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
Chief of Police, Toronto Police Service

Chief Blair was appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. Toronto has one of the largest municipal police services in North America, employing over 5,200 officers and more than 2,000 civilian staff.

In January 2001, Chief Blair was promoted to Staff Superintendent and became the Commander of Central Field, and was responsible for nine police divisions within the inner city with approximately 2,000 personnel, centralization of the Paid Duty System Administration and overseeing major community events. In January 2003, he was the Staff Superintendent In Charge of Detective Support and was responsible for all specialized criminal investigations, including organized crime and national security issues. In March 2005, Chief Blair was appointed the Interim Deputy Chief of Policing Operations Command and was responsible for the management of all uniform field divisions.

Peter F. Brust
Deputy Superintendent
Chicago Police Department

Deputy Superintendent Brust was sworn in as Deputy Superintendent of the newly formed Bureau of Professional Standards by Superintendent Weis in February 2008. 

In 1985, he began his career as a law enforcement officer in the Investigative Services Bureau, Illinois Department of Revenue. He graduated from the Illinois State Police Academy as President of Local Class 400-14.

In 1986, Deputy Superintendent Brust entered on duty as a Special Agent with the FBI. He advanced to the position of Supervisory Special Agent in the Office of Public and Congressional Affairs at FBI Headquarters, and later in the Los Angeles, CA, field office supervising two criminal squads. He was promoted to Unit Chief of the Major Theft/Transportation Crimes Unit, Violent Crime and Major Offenders Section of the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters. He served as Assistant Special Agent in Charge in the Baltimore, MD, Field Office and later as Section Chief in the Cyber Crime Section of the Cyber Division at FBI Headquarters. He most recently served as a Special Agent in Charge in the Los Angeles, CA, field office until his retirement on January 31, 2008.

Jim Cessford
Chief Constable
Delta Police Department

Chief Constable Cessford was appointed to his position with the Delta Police Department in 1995. Prior to this, he was Superintendent In Charge of Edmonton’s Downtown Division. Chief Cessford’s career with the Edmonton Police Service spanned 27 years where he worked as a homicide and major crimes investigator for 14 years.

Chief Cessford has been recognized and designated by the courts as an expert hostage negotiator after handling numerous high-risk situations as a primary negotiator.

Upon his arrival in Delta, Chief Cessford moved community based policing to new levels and has also been instrumental through the strategic planning process in bringing about sound leadership training education for his members and volunteers.

Mohamed Doma
Senior Partner
Canadian Professional Management Services

Mr. Doma has worked extensively with policing organizations that have required his expertise, diplomacy, knowledge and expert counsel in such areas as strategic planning, contract negotiations, labour relations and executive coaching.

Mr. Doma has facilitated complex discussions regarding policing services and community expectations, the Police Complaints process, integration of municipal and federal services, and by order in council, has facilitated the discussion regarding the integration amongst the South Vancouver Island Police Departments.

Other policing experience includes the development of a five year strategic plan for the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, the integration of the Organized Crime Agency of B.C. with the RCMP and a strategic planning model for the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service as they transitioned from a transportation to a policing organization. Mr. Doma developed and facilitated a series of leadership programs to the Canadian Association of Police Boards, the Vancouver Police Department, the Delta Police Department and the Abbotsford Police Department to name a few.

Michael Downing
Deputy Chief of Police
Los Angeles Police Department

Deputy Chief Downing was sworn in on October 30, 2009 as the Los Angeles Police Department’s 55th Chief of Police. Deputy Chief Downing is a 27 year veteran of the Department. Prior to being named Chief of Police, he was the Deputy Chief of the Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau. In that capacity he commanded two operational divisions which oversee the Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center, Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Section, Criminal Investigative Section, Organized Crime Section, Surveillance Support Section, Criminal Conspiracy Section, Liaison Section, Hazardous Devices/Materials Section, LAX-K9 Section and Archangel Section.

Deputy Chief Downing served as the Commanding Officer, Hollywood Community Police Station, from July 1999 to April 2005, where he oversaw a command of 300 sworn and 40 civilian personnel. He was promoted to Commander in April 2005 and was assigned to the position of Assistant Commanding Officer, Operations-South Bureau, a command serving nearly 700,000 people, four service areas and 1,200 police officers in South Los Angeles.

Bruce Farr
President, Emergency Medical Services Chiefs of Canada
Chief, Toronto Emergency Medical Services

As Chief of Toronto Emergency Medical Services, Chief Farr leads the largest EMS service in Canada, responding to 250,000 calls per year. Chief Farr has had a distinguished career as a Paramedic, Supervisor, Manager, Deputy Chief and Chief of Toronto EMS spanning more than 36 years. During his tenure as Manager of EMS Education, Toronto EMS implemented one of Canada’s first Advanced Life Support Paramedic Programs.

As Deputy Chief of EMS Operations, he oversaw his team through major events affecting EMS in Toronto, including the G7 Summit, the Papal Visit and World Youth Days. Chief Farr has spoken at international emergency service conferences about Toronto EMS and its successful management of the SARS Crisis, the Molson Toronto Rocks Concert, the 2004 Blackout, and the 2005 Air France Crash.
He was elected to this position in 2006 by his peers, and is currently involved in multi-level government awareness campaigns on EMS, both nationally and internationally.

Edward A. Flynn
Chief of Police
Milwaukee Police Department

Chief Flynn was appointed Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department in January 2008. He commands an agency of 2,000 sworn officers and 700 civilians serving a city of over 600,000 residents. Prior to his appointment, he was Police Commissioner in Springfield, Massachusetts from 2006 to 2008.

Chief Flynn served as Secretary of Public Safety under Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney from January 2003 until taking command in Springfield. He also served as the Chief Adviser to the Governor on homeland security.

Prior to his appointment as Secretary of Public Safety, Chief Flynn served for five years as the Chief of Police in Arlington, Virginia. Chief Flynn is a member of the Board of Directors for the Police Executive Research Forum, and serves on the Executive Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Rick Hanson
Chief of Police
Calgary Police Service

Chief Hanson joined the Calgary Police Service in February 1975. From October 2005 to April 2006 he was Superintendent, RCMP, “K” Division as the Officer in Charge of the Calgary Urban Area. He returned to the Calgary Police Service, as Chief, in 2007. 

Chief Hanson has over 32 years of policing experience, the last 15 of which have been at the senior management levels within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Calgary Police Service. Prior to serving with the RCMP, Chief Hanson served with the Calgary Police Service as the Deputy Chief of Bureau of Support Services, Bureau of Community Police and Bureau of Research, Development and Learning.

Chief Hanson has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences and is a graduate of the Executive Development Program through the University of Calgary. He is also a graduate of the FBI Leadership in Counter-terrorism course and the Canadian Police College Executive Development Program.

Khoo Boon Hui
President, INTERPOL, France
Senior Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs

President Khoo is presently serving a term from 2008 to 2012 as President of INTERPOL. He has more than 30 years of police experience as well as recognized expertise in organizational management. 

Mr. Khoo began his career in the Singapore Police Force in 1977 and served as Commissioner of the Singapore Police Force for twelve and a half years, from 1997 to 2010. On February 1, 2010, he was appointed Senior Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In 2006, he was elected to the INTERPOL Executive Committee as Vice-President for Asia. During his two years in the post, he actively worked to strengthen ties between INTERPOL and Southeast Asian police forces, culminating in the signing of a Declaration of Co-operation between ASEANAPOL and INTERPOL in June 2007.

Mr. Khoo holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Engineering and Economics from the University of Oxford.

Armand P. La Barge, O.O.M.
Chief of Police
York Regional Police

Chief La Barge was appointed Chief of Police on December 12, 2002. He began his career with York Regional Police in 1973. Chief La Barge is the Past President of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and a member of the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association.

Chief La Barge holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree, a Multiculturalism Studies Certificate from York University and a Masters Degree from Trent University in the field of Canadian and Native Studies. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and the Queen’s University Executive Program.

Chief La Barge has extensive involvement with community based agencies with many of those dedicated to youth in the local community and beyond.

Barry MacKnight
Chief of Police
Fredericton Police Force

Chief MacKnight was appointed Chief of the Fredericton Police Force in July 2005. Prior to his appointment, he was Deputy Chief in Fredericton for two years after successfully rising through the department ranks. Chief MacKnight joined the Fredericton Police Force in 1988.

Chief MacKnight served with the RCMP for one year before returning to New Brunswick in 1987, where he worked with the Blackville Police Department. He has served as aide-de-camp to two Lieutenant Governors and it was in that capacity in 2002 that he received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. He is also a recipient of the Police Exemplary Service Medal.

Chief MacKnight, completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of New Brunswick in 1985, before taking his police training with the RCMP. Chief MacKnight is currently the President of the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Chair of the CACP Drug Abuse Committee.

Warren J. Riley
Superintendent of Police 
New Orleans Police Department

Superintendent Riley was appointed Interim Superintendent on September 27, 2005, 28 days after Hurricane Katrina. He was officially sworn in as Superintendent of Police on November 24, 2005. Superintendent Riley is a 26 year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department. Prior to his appointment as Superintendent, he served as the Deputy Superintendent or the number two position in the Department as the Chief Operations Officer. Chief Riley was the Assistant Superintendent in command of the Policy, Planning and Training Bureau.

As a Captain of Police, Superintendent Riley commanded the 5th Police District which includes the Lower 9th Ward. This area is comprised with some of the highest crime areas and the largest concentration of low-income residents in the City of New Orleans. He was successful in reducing homicide crime in that area by nine percent.

Wendy Southall
Chief of Police
Niagara Regional Police Service

Chief Southall became the seventh Chief of Police in the history of the Niagara Regional Police Service on January 1, 2005. Chief Southall started her policing career in 1970 with the Metropolitan Toronto Police Service and joined the Niagara Police Services Board in 1982.

In 1989, she was promoted to Administrator of the Police Services Board and worked for eight Board Chairs. She has been directly responsible for Human Resources including Recruiting, Training, Career Development, Information Services and Police Records.

Chief Southall is leading the Niagara Regional Police Service through a time of transition, including a complete technological renovation; a region wide change, focused on promoting greater road safety and the development of formal structures aimed at succession planning and recruiting.

Chuck Wexler
Executive Director 
Police Executive Research Forum

Mr. Wexler was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) in 1993. He leads a staff engaged in police and criminal justice research, management studies and consulting, publication of research findings, technical assistance, demonstration projects, and executive development and selection.

Executive Director Wexler has been directly involved in numerous technical assistance, research and consulting projects. He has been involved in policing projects in Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Northern Ireland, Kingston, Jamaica, London and the Middle East. In each of these projects, his purpose is to more efficiently deliver policing services to the community. He also co-authored “Good to Great Policing: Application of Business Management Principles in the Public Sector.” Mr. Wexler held a number of key positions in the Boston Police Department including Operations Assistant to the Police Commissioner.