Date: Wednesday, April 29
Time: 12 p.m. ET | 11 a.m. CT | 9 a.m. PT
Register now using the “Register for this Police1 Webinar” box on this page!
Can’t make the date? Register anyway and we’ll send you a recording after the event. *
In this Police1 webinar, Philadelphia Police Captain John Walker, Captain Tom Rizzo, Von Kliem and recruiting expert Doug Larsen join leadership trainer and consultant Travis Yates to examine the link between leadership, recruiting and the retention of law enforcement professionals.
You’ll get practical, field-tested leadership strategies you can drive from the top to remove friction in your hiring process and build the internal conditions that keep officers engaged and committed. We’ll break down what truly motivates qualified applicants to act and the cultural and operational decisions inside agencies that quietly push employees out the door.
Whether you’re a chief, sheriff, command staff member, supervisor or recruiter, you’ll leave with a clear framework and immediate action steps you can implement to create staffing stability by aligning leadership, recruiting and retention into a single coordinated system.
By attending this webinar, you will learn how to:
- Lead recruiting and retention with clear ownership, expectations and accountability.
- Build a culture that attracts candidates and keeps officers loyal to the mission.
- Identify and remove the “hidden friction” in your hiring process.
- Understand the motivations of new hires and veterans.
- How to reduce attrition in the academy and on the job.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- Police chiefs, sheriffs and command staff.
- First line supervisors.
- Recruitment and hiring managers.
- HR and personnel leaders.
- City and county officials responsible for public safety staffing.
* Please note the Q and A portion of the webinar will only be available for live event attendees.
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Travis Yates is a nationally recognized law enforcement leader and a 30-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department, where he retired as a major. A court-certified expert in police policy and best practices, he has authored hundreds of articles on leadership and risk management. Travis is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership. He has trained thousands of officers and business leaders across 47 states and three countries in leadership and risk management principles and has been honored with the International Police Trainer of the Year and the Knight of Magnus Award for his significant contributions to leadership. He currently serves on the board of The Wounded Blue, advocating for officer wellness and principled leadership nationwide.
Thomas Rizzo is a 25-year law enforcement veteran and currently serving as the Investigations Division Commander at the rank of captain. He received a B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida and an M.A. in Human Resource Training and Development from Seton Hall University. He graduated from the NJSACOP Command and Leadership Academy in 2009 and was invited to return as an instructor of group leadership theories. An inductee in the National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame, Tom is an analyst with the industry’s leading docuseries, “On Patrol Live,” where police throughout the nation are followed as they patrol their jurisdictions.
Lewis “Von” Kliem is a nationally recognized expert in use-of-force and constitutional policing with over 30 years of experience in the criminal justice profession. His career includes roles as a police officer, attorney, educator and author. Currently serving as the Chief Consulting and Communications Officer at Force Science, Von provides litigation consulting in high-profile use-of-force cases across the U.S. and internationally. As a retired Army Judge Advocate, he specialized in constitutional policing and military justice, contributing to the development of DoD and Army use-of-force policy. Von holds degrees in Crime and Delinquency Studies, Criminal Justice Administration, and Law (J.D.), as well as a post-doctorate law degree (LL.M.). He is licensed to practice law in Virginia and Kansas.
Doug Larsen is the CEO of Safeguard Recruiting and a national leader in helping public safety agencies strengthen recruitment and modernize their hiring practices. With nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience, Doug understands the operational and leadership challenges agencies face in attracting qualified talent. After retiring from law enforcement he founded Safeguard Recruiting to help departments simplify hiring, leverage technology and implement data-driven strategies that improve candidate quality and speed up selection. Doug is passionate about building strong, efficient teams that can meet today’s evolving public safety demands.
Philadelphia Police Captain John Walker is a 36-year law enforcement veteran with a proven leadership style that focuses on solution-based approaches. His assignments have spanned District Patrol, Special Operations, the South Street Detail, Criminal Investigations, Gun Violence enforcement and now executive leadership over recruitment. While assigned to South Street his strategic approach led to a 71% reduction in crime, improved business occupancy rates and enhanced quality of life in one of the region’s busiest entertainment districts. In 2021 John implemented the Shooting Investigations Group, where he utilized transformative leadership to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that reshaped Philadelphia’s approach to non-fatal shooting investigations, leading to a 33% reduction in non-fatal shooting victims and a 123% improvement in clearance rates.