Friday, February 21, 2014

America’s Breath of Life: Resuscitating the Heart of the Nation

A heart pounding life-or-death drama from a Florida expressway gives hope to humanity. It also inspires America to reawaken its heart through courage, compassion and character.
A woman driving on a Florida expressway pulled over screaming for help when her 5-month-old nephew stopped breathing on Thursday afternoon, February 20, 2014.
Motorists stuck in traffic rushed to help Pamela Rauseo perform CPR on her nephew, Sebastian de la Cruz, on the Dolphin Expressway in Miami. Photographer Al Diaz was behind Rauseo and helped get the attention of a police officer who aided in resuscitation efforts. The baby boy was taken to a hospital, where he was listed as stable.
This incident magnificently captures America’s call to character which I have been addressing in my presentations, articles, newest book and blogs as follows:

D-Day: Reawakening America's Courage, Compassion, Character-June 5, 2003 Blog

On June 6, 1944 the Western Allies began the Invasion of Normandy in an effort to free mainland Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II. Despite suffering heavy casualties, the courage shown by the United States and Allied Forces on that day showed a moral strength and commitment to liberate the weak and oppressed who were being murdered by Hitler and the Nazis.

As our nation commemorates D-Day, when moral courage was demonstrated through the heroism, determination and sacrifices of individuals who laid down their lives for others, we must pause with reverence.

An event that took place on the streets of Hartford, Connecticut on June 5, 2008 must convict our consciences and ignite our passion to realign our moral compass and reawaken the heart of America. An elderly man was hit by a driver who fled the scene and no one did anything to help the critically injured man. The scene was captured on video so that all could witness the indifference, insensitivity and irreverence of the driver and the many bystanders.

This tragic incident must set our nation's soul afire to a renewal of compassion, character and community.

As we remember the legacy of D-Day so many years ago, let us also remember the values for which so many lives were sacrificed.






D-Day Voices of Veterans (5:25)
D-Day Tribute 1 (3:36)
D-Day Tribute 2 (2:32)
<a HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E7pJSC097w">Play the clip on YouTube</A>

READ MORE

PBS American Experience D-DAY Click here to visit site

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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Jersey City Police Department Waterfront Security: Leadership, Partnerships, Prevention

As requested by the Jersey City Police Department I returned on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 to deliver my presentation titled Leadership Principles: Crisis Planning, Community Partnerships, Violence Prevention. The event, held at The Westin Hotel Jersey City Newport was for the Waterfront Security Community, a public-private partnership of numerous law enforcement agencies and companies throughout Jersey City.

Testimonial
"...your presentation: Leadership Principles: Crisis Planning, Community Partnerships, and Violence Prevention was very well organized and delivered and was extremely well received by the attendees. Look forward to speaking with you and working together on future projects."
Jersey City Police Department, East District Commander

This presentation was a continuation of events on these issues which I have conducted nationwide for many years and recently in New York City at five venues covering museums, hospitals, landmark properties including the New York Stock Exchange, fire safety officials and cultural properties. Attendees have included security professionals, property managers, the NYPD and the FBI.

Today's event addressed contemporary concerns in America and solutions as follows:
  • Contemporary Concerns-Alleviation of Suffering-Essential to the Preservation of Society
  • Head on Collision: Leadership Crisis / Culture of Violence
  • Mitigation / Prevention / Preparedness / Recovery
  • Culture of Preparedness / Unity of Effort
  • Lessons Learned: An American Tragedy
  • Reawakening a Sense of Purpose and Dedication
  • American Military Tribute
  • Conclusion

This is one of numerous initiatives I have conducted for the Jersey City Police Department and companies throughout the city over the years including:

Jersey City Police Department Waterfront Security Event: Community Policing Par Excellence May 17, 2011

On Tuesday, May 17, 2011, the Jersey City Police Department held their monthly Waterfront Security Event for corporate representatives, private security personnel, emergency responders and law enforcement officials. This initiative is an outstanding community policing program that forges a unity of effort partnership benefiting security and safety in Jersey City.

As the featured speaker I delivered a presentation titled Layoffs: An Alarming Trend Endangering Company and Community Safety. It identified serious issues in contemporary American society as well as practical solutions and responses including:

  • A culture of callousness, violence and death
  • Alarming rise of police fatalities
  • Company and law enforcement layoffs
  • Domestic violence spilling over into the workplace
  • Virginia Tech lessons learned: principles of crisis planning
  • Workplace violence prevention: warning signs and employee terminations
  • Target hardening and security vulnerability assessments
  • Threat assessment teams

As with all of my presentations, it concluded with a tribute honoring those making sacrifices serving our nation in the military, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Jersey City Police Department, especially represented by East District Commander Captain Joseph A. Connors and Community Relations Officer Dina Reilly are to be commended for this initiative. It is a community policing program par excellence that fosters law enforcement partnerships with the entire Jersey City community.

Jersey City PD Waterfront Security...Domestic Violence Prevention at the Workplace-November 19, 2008

On Tuesday, November 18, 2008, thanks to the leadership of Captain Brian McDonough and Officer Dina Reilly of the Jersey City Police Department East District, the monthly Waterfront Security Meeting was held at Goldman Sachs in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Aside from the public sector attendees which included the Jersey City Police Department, the Jersey City Office of Emergency Management and the New Jersey State Police, private sector representatives included security and human resource representatives from the following organizations:

  • Advanced Integration Security
  • Allied Barton Security Services
  • AXA-Equitable Life Insurance Company
  • Barclays Capital
  • Brookfield Properties
  • Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
  • Care Security Systems
  • Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
  • Fidelity Investments
  • Goldman Sachs
  • John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • Hyatt Hotels
  • McRoberts Protective Agency, Inc.
  • Mulligan Security
  • Pershing
  • Professional Security Technologies, LLC
  • Risk Protective Services
  • Securitas
  • Spartan Security Service Inc.
  • TD Ameritrade
  • The Bank of New York Mellon

As the invited keynote speaker, I was privileged to present When Domestic Violence Spills into the Workplace.

AGENDA

  • Why are we Here?
  • Domestic Abuse and Violence
  • One Life
  • Domestic Violence and the Workplace
  • Overview and Impact
  • Warning Signs
  • Awareness and Action
  • Lessons Learned: Virginia Tech Tragedy
  • Violence Prevention In The Workplace
  • American Military Tribute
  • Conclusion

Although the statistics on the negative impact of domestic violence in the American workplace are staggering, I stressed the ethical standard we must have when it comes to violence prevention:

"When it comes to even one life, we must do what is right—not what is convenient, politically expedient, or the most cost effective.

"In simplest terms, we must learn to care for one another in our time of need."

It is caring, vigilant and proactive people, not sterile policies and procedures, that is the key to violence prevention in the workplace. By fostering leadership principles to create a culture of respect and unity of effort, employees are more likely to respond appropriately when they see warning signs.

After the presentation, Listen To Their Cries was available to participants. A donation from the proceeds was made to assist the Jersey City Police Department East District initiative for providing Thanksgiving turkeys and meals for needy families.

The Jersey City Police Department is to be commended for their leadership and commitment to the principles of community policing expressed through unity of effort and public/private partnerships cultivated through these Waterfront Security meetings. A special thanks is deserving of Goldman Sachs for hosting the event.

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Monday, February 10, 2014

Abraham Lincoln: American Icon of Character, Ethics, Leadership

As America honors Abraham Lincoln on the February 12, 2014 anniversary of his birth, the nation must pause and let his character, ethics and leadership reignite the heart of our country.

My newest article titled Lincoln's Leadership Lessons for Law Enforcement, published in The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine, February 2014 edition gives insight on these enduring principles our great president lived by:

  • Leadership must be open to silence, study and self containment
  • Leadership possesses extraordinary empathy and concern for others
  • Leadership must be grounded in moral self confidence developed by understanding through study and hard work
  • The foundation of authentic leadership is moral character
  • Leadership realizes that some things that are right legally are not right morally
  • Leadership honors military service especially those who offered the ultimate sacrifice
  • Leadership is approachable and not confined to an ivory tower
  • Leadership utilizes the power of persuasion, not the manipulation of aggressiveness
  • Leadership masters the art of communication and public speaking
  • Leadership expresses visionary principles which are constantly reaffirmed

    These principles of character, ethics and leadership have been addressed in my presentations, articles, newest book and blogs including:

    Abraham Lincoln: An Enduring Icon of Leadership/Posted December 12, 2006

    Americans of all ages continue to be captivated by the life, death, legacy and message of Abraham Lincoln.

    During speaking engagements with students, educators and law enforcement personnel throughout the country, I am continually astounded at the detailed information individuals have on Abraham Lincoln including specific dates from his life, the Civil War, the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, his second inaugural and his assassination by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC on April 14, 1865.

    During recent character education presentations, students from a 3rd grade class were able to recently quote to me with admirable precision President Lincoln's words from Gettysburg on November 19, 1863:
    "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
    In our troubled times, so besieged by violence, turmoil and scandal, Abraham Lincoln remains an icon of dedication to country. From his early days of studying by the fireside as a young boy to his rise to the presidency, the character of Lincoln is worthy of emulation. Lincoln's courage and perseverance in the face of great adversity serve as an example that what is needed in America's response to the current crisis of violence, scandal and division is newfound perseverance, unity, strength and transformation.


    Aside from publication in the New Jersey Police Chief Magazine, February 2014, the full length article was also published in The Chief of Police, Winter, 2014 edition.

    Read More:
    http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/al16.html

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