July, 2011

"If you think you can or if you think you can't, you are right".   Henry Ford

The above quote by Henry Ford will be a theme for the Florida Police Chiefs Association as we move forward this Association Year. We will be faced with challenges beyond our traditional role as law enforcers. The methods of how we practice law enforcement, funding of our departments and right sized staffing to fit budgetary restraints will test every Chief Executive Officer. Through the resources of the Florida Police Chiefs Association we stand ready to assist our members in these challenging times.

It is through the vehicle of the Florida Police Chiefs Association that we gather as a community of professional law enforcement leaders. I believe that the State of Florida's law enforcement has some of the finest criminal justice minds who have been trail blazers in the discipline of law enforcement. Compelling evidence to that claim is our history of leadership with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. This year two of our members will represent us on the IACP Executive Board. Quincy Chief of Police Walt McNeil will ascend to the President's Chair and the University of Central Florida Police Chief Richard Beary will be the Third Vice President. The professional pedigree of the individuals who are the FPCA leadership to include the Executive Officers, District Directors, Committee Chairs and our Past Presidents rival any think tank in creative thinking about how to best perform the job as a law enforcement executive. Our Executive Director Amy Mercer and her team have placed us on the forefront of issues in Tallahassee. Director Mercer's professional management skills have the Association fiscally sound and operationally effective. We will look to our Committees as resources to find best practices. The Legislative Committee is in the forefront every year, but this year the Technology and Training Committee will be vitally important to assist our members. I ask you to look for a Committee in which you have interest. It is through the Committees that you can get involved in shaping our future and it is the Committees where we directly serve all our members. In our respective departments it is our command staff and line officers who help percolate up new ideas and methods. They are the boots on the ground delivering the programs, policies and practices that we direct. Listen to them when they offer suggestions or dare I say criticism about how to better deliver law enforcement services. We owe it to them to lead as their Chief and to find ways to bring the right technology, practices and equipment so they can perform their job and go home safe at the end of their tour.

It will be the collective skill of our Association Leadership, our members, our Executive Director and staff, our Committees and our officers in the individual departments in this Great State of Florida which leads me to believe that yes "I think we can!"

Best regards,

Chief Paul F. Sireci
President