Pathways to Leadership was facilitated by Jack Vincent and Tim Scanlon. The RPL program was the first of its kind in the industry, and the class was hosted to give further information on the program, the overall concept of the courses, the training provided within those courses, and the commitment expectation for students.
Vincent explained to attendees that, by simply attending the informational class, they are already proving to be leaders within the public safety industry, as they are exhibiting the drive to better themselves and their agencies. Scanlon stated that APCO has essentially three tiers of higher-level training for supervisory and management personnel: Communications Center Supervisor (CCS), Registered Public-Safety Leader (RPL), and Certified Public-Safety Executive (CPE). While CCS and RPL are often taken by operational management personnel, CPE is geared more towards executive operations, such as directors, deputy directors, and the like. All classes are available for APCO members as well as non-members as long as prerequisites are met.
Vincent and Scanlon covered the six courses of the RPL program, which include training, communication, personnel retention, and also go in-depth on APCO’s unique and storied history. The program’s service project requirements were discussed by the facilitators and attendees in detail, and many questions were answered regarding local available projects. Examples of project types and scope were given by both facilitators. Vincent advised that APCO Committee participation as a service project has been temporarily suspended while guiding policies are being written and evaluated by APCO management.
Near the end of the course, the RPL recertification requirements were clearly and plainly explained. There were very few questions at the conclusion on the course, as the class was very vocal and able to address questions and concerns throughout the presentation. The speakers made their contact information available to the attendees and advised all personnel to also attend the Think Tank presentation specifically on the CPE program on Monday, August 15, 2021.
By Jessica Lohr
