I had the good fortune to be with a great crew of police reserves in suburban Boston recently. I was truly impressed by their enthusiasm and the dedication of their leader and conference guru Auxiliary Captain Marc Spigel.
Here is the text of an article from PoliceReserveOfficer.com on the conference:
It was an enthusiastic crowd that took in the training and speeches and helped to make the 2011 Massachusetts Volunteers in Policing (VIPS) conference a success. The brainchild of Framingham, MA, Police Auxiliary Captain Marc Spigel, the November 12 and 13 conference at the suburban Boston Beechwood Hotel in Worcester, MA, brought together the top minds in law enforcement training and reserve law enforcement.
Police reserve expert and author Dr. Richard Weinblatt delivered the evening keynote speech on the sometimes contentious relationship between volunteers and full-timers. The conference purchased copies of Dr. Weinblatt's book "The Cop Doc's Classic Writings on Police Reserves" and distributed copies to each conference attendee.
Nationally known VIPS expert Denver Police Lieutenant Matt Murray, who has overseen that agency's successful volunteer law enforcement program, lead a dynamic afternoon presentation on starting and growing a volunteer police program. Lt. Murray, the Denver Police Department's public information officer and aid to the Police Chief, entertained and informed as he dazzled the crowd with the tricks of his trade.
The weekend's continued activities moved over to the Boylestown Police Academy as training from some of Massachusetts' top subject matter experts took center stage. Volunteers and part-time officers were given top-notch training in firearms, defensive tactics, officer survival, and other related subject areas.
