Reinhardt University’s second cohort of the Executive Command and Leadership – Master of Public Administration program presented their academic research studies at a Research Symposium on August 6, at the Falany Performing Arts Center. The symposium is the culminating event in a two-year-long journey to earn a Master of Public Administration.
Each of the five speakers presented on topics they identified as being issues of importance for public administrators in the fields of public safety and law enforcement. The presenters provided an exploration of each issue, an overview of their findings and offered recommendations for policy development and implementation.
Presenters included:
- Officer Ranette Cruse, Lilburn Police Department – DUI Conviction Rates, Does Race Matter?
- Detective Matthew Davis, Woodstock Police Department – The Use of Red Dot Sights on Pistols in Law Enforcement Applications
- Lieutenant Bill Franco, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office – The Reliance of Technology vs Physical Force by Law Enforcement Officers
- Lieutenant Robert Heagerty, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office – Does Deployment of a Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) Lead to More Force in a Police/Suspect Encounter?
- Lieutenant Jesse Ray, Canton Police Department – The Relationship Between Leadership and Organizational Culture in a Mid-Sized Georgia Municipal Law Enforcement Agency
Reinhardt’s Executive Command and Leadership program provides current and aspiring public safety leaders an opportunity to further their professional aspirations. In addition to receiving a Master of Public Administration at the conclusion of the two-year program, students also receive over 400 hours of professional training credit for the award of management and executive career development certifications through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Council. The Georgia P.O.S.T. Council is responsible for setting the standards for training and certification of Georgia’s peace officers. Learn more about Georgia’s P.O.S.T. Council at https://www.gapost.org/.
Reinhard University launched the Executive Command and Leadership program in 2018 as part of their already established Public Safety Institute. The first cohort graduated in the summer of 2020. The program concludes with the Executive Command and Leadership Research Symposium.
Student research is presented to a panel of evaluators composed of faculty and practicing public administrators. The event is open to the public and peace officers who attend can receive advanced professional training credit through the Georgia P.O.S.T. Council.
“Reinhardt is excited to be able to offer a practice-oriented, research-based and ethics-focused graduate program for current and aspiring law enforcement leaders,” said Trey Drawdy, director of Reinhardt’s Public Safety Institute. “We are especially proud of our symposium presenters. They met the rigors and challenges of graduate study and came away with enhanced knowledge while developing principled, resourceful skills and abilities. Reinhardt looks forward to the positive contributions these men and women will make as public safety leaders committed to the public good.”
