Orange County Now Served by Two (2) Certified Public - Safety Executive Graduates
By: Holly Williams, Training Coordinator, Emergency Communications Center
The Association of Public - Safety Communications Professionals (APCO) International offers a program for executive leadership studies, known as the Certified Public - Safety Executive (CPE) course. This program was established in 2016 with the intent to elevate professionalism, enhance individual performance, and recognize excellence in the public - safety communications industry. The course is extensive, and consists of six (6) months of online learning, with writing assignments regarding policy changes, organizational culture, and leadership studies. The course ends with a two - week, in - person, capstone course at APCO headquarters. There, students dive into lessons focused on management versus leadership, models and theories of
leadership, leadership styles, public safety leadership issues, and executing and managing change. The curriculum combines academic rigor with deep personal self - reflection to enable participants to identify their own unique and authentic leadership style. The course ends with a graduation ceremony attended by the APCO Executive Director, Derek Poarch, and the APCO Executive Board. Most centers are lucky to have one (1) certified CPE, but Orange County Emergency Communications is proud to have two (2) graduates of the prestigious program serving our residents. Chris Cord, Director of the ECC, and Holly Williams, Training Coordinator of the ECC, both graduated this year. For perspective, there are only 189 graduates of this program in the country. The application process is competitive. Most applicants are turned down on their initial application. To be eligible, applicants must hold a supervision, management, or leadership role in 9 - 1 - 1. Scholarship programs are available, and Holly Williams earned one of these for her course, completed in January. This class is held only twice each year; a total of 12 classes have now graduated from the program. Please congratulate Chris and Holly for the hard work required to earn this designation! Their dedication will help continue to move the Orange County Emergency Communications Center forward with strong values and goals for their teams of dispatchers. Orange County appreciates their effort to better their leadership skills and continue to grow our 9 - 1 - 1 center. Congratulations to both!
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