I vividly recall my introduction to Police1.
“Heather, have you seen PoliceOne?” asked Eddie Reyes, then Captain at the Alexandria (VA) Police Department. “It’s my go-to site every morning for news. You have to check it out!”
This short conversation in 2005 was a defining moment while I was working at the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The enthusiasm Reyes had in his voice that morning prompted me to follow Police1, and over the last decade, I have watched it evolve into the world’s leading resource for law enforcement news. When the opportunity arose recently to join the P1 team, it was a no-brainer, and I couldn’t be happier to now play a role in the site’s growth and continued success.
As Police1 Senior Editor I’ll be working — in close partnership with Doug Wyllie — to:
- Ensure that mission-critical, relevant and timely content is continually provided and updated
- Expand PoliceOne’s original coverage of contemporary issues, from cyber threats to crisis intervention teams to the topic du jour
- Increase our worldwide network through expanding P1’s coverage of international policing news and article contributions from police officers working outside the U.S.
- Maintain PoliceOne’s status as the leading destination for law enforcement officers, leaders, students, educators, volunteers and private sector professionals, as well as the membership associations and other stakeholders who support policing
Advocate, collaborator and a fitness junkie
I’m a public safety advocate. I admire the courage it takes to wear the badge and the work you put into every shift. Prior to joining the Police1 team, I worked at the IACP, where I was part of several national technology initiatives that supported the needs of the membership such as FBI N-Dex, CAD/RMS Standards, NIEM business architecture, privacy impact assessments for LPR, and establishing open source information sharing data standards.
In 2014, I founded the International Public Safety Association, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit, that centers on multidisciplinary training and networking for the entire public safety community — law enforcement, fire service, EMS, telecommunications, public works (water, sanitation, transportation), public health, hospitals, security, private sector, and emergency management.
IPSA’s vision is to create a stronger, more integrated public safety community capable of an effective joint response to all public safety incidents. This Herculean undertaking is 100 percent volunteer work for me, the association’s other officers and board of directors. We describe ourselves as a nonprofit and more nimble version of DHS.
In addition to wanting to make the world a better and safer place for first responders, I’m a fitness junkie. I love to work out.
I’m a fitness pusher, too. If you ever want to talk about working out, the latest fitness craze or need motivation, give me a call. I will listen with enthusiasm and probably talk your ear off. As someone who works closely with the public safety community, I feel it’s important for me to be in good physical condition to ensure that I am representing our profession with the highest regard.
Contribute and connect
Police1 columnists and contributors share expertise, lessons learned, tips and resources. I encourage you to submit news, share ideas for articles and help us develop the best material to advance the law enforcement profession.
I attend many events to visit with readers and connect face-to-face with columnists. If you run into me at an event, make sure to say ‘hello’.
Now that you know a bit about me, keep an eye out for future articles by me on P1. I’ll be covering a range of topics, from commentary on major news events to cyber security. In the meantime, you can connect with me on Twitter @ipsaheather or LinkedIn.
