The Cop: America’s Ethical Guardian

Recently, I shared remarks to an assembly of 150 police chiefs, community leaders, private security directors, and law enforcement officials including the FBI, on American policing issues.

These remarks were delivered at the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association (BCPCA) event in Alpine, New Jersey on April 21, 2016.

The BCPCA is comprised of over 70 police agencies within the county; numerous city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, private security professionals, and community leaders.

This unity of action from the public and private sectors is reflected in their mission statement:

“To secure a closer official and personal relationship among police officials in the County of Bergen; to secure unity of action in police matters; to elevate the standards of police institutions; to strive for advancement among all lines that pertain to the prevention and to the detection of crime and the promotion of police efficiency in general.”

The mission statement is complemented by charitable community initiatives for the needy, veterans, students, families, hospitalized, and schools.

BCPCA: A History of Community Policing

My remarks for the BCPCA crystalized an upcoming initiative that I will develop for the police and people of Bergen County.

The initiative will be titled “The Cop: America’s Ethical Guardian.” It will address critical policing issues covered in many of my Epoch Times articles over the last two years. These articles encourage police to serve as ethical guardians, and to have a full force dedication to enhancing police-community relations.

As a member of the BCPCA for the last 15 years, I have been honored to serve on numerous policing initiatives which has included six years as a primary community policing instructor and presentations at five conferences.

Each conference was filled to capacity with over 250 attendees and addressed community policing, terrorism prevention, school violence prevention, crisis management, and ethics.

The conferences were a collaboration with police chiefs, prosecutors, sheriffs, numerous law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and 279 Bergen county schools.

This unity of effort represents the heart of addressing police-community issues not only in New Jersey, but throughout the county.

America Policing Dangers: Fast Facts

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), there are over 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers serving in the United States, the highest ever figure.

The NLEOMF presents some key data highlighting American policing issues that includes the following:

• Crime fighting has taken its toll. Since the first recorded police death in 1791, there have been over 20,000 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Currently, there are 20,789 names engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

• A total of 1,439 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every 61 hours or 144 per year. There were 123 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2015.

• There were 15,725 assaults against law enforcement officers in 2014, the most recent comprised record, resulting in 13,824 injuries.

• The deadliest day in law enforcement history was September 11, 2001, when 72 officers were killed while responding to the terrorist attacks on America.

• New York City has lost more officers in the line of duty than any other department, with 705 deaths. Texas has lost 1,682 officers, more than any other state.

These tragic statistics remind us of the dangers faced by our police, and the importance of not only appreciating their efforts, but assisting them in our communities.

A Clarion Call for Police-Community Collaboration

As detailed in my Epoch Times, September 4, 2015 article column titled “Policing Dangers Demand Community Collaboration,” whenever a law enforcement official is contemptuously murdered, the heart of America is wounded.

The article sounds a clarion call to enhance police-community collaboration by emphasizing vigilance among the police and community members.

Collaboration, as well as ethical principles, is further emphasized in my “Principles of American Policing.”

The first principle is as follows:

“Being pro-police and pro-community are inseparable, indefatigable, and pre-eminent. Police must at all times remain fully committed to protecting and serving the public through character, ethics, and leadership that is total and wholehearted. Police must be guided by a moral compass that honors the community, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.”

Police Controversies, Protests, Concerns: A Defining Moment

As memorialized by incidents throughout America, many of which were videoed, it would be naïve, disingenuous, and irresponsible to minimize various police controversies, protests, and concerns.

These issues must be honestly addressed by law enforcement and law-abiding community members.

Commissioner William J. Bratton during an October 2, 2014 retreat of over 800 top department executives, served as a model to American policing through his candid remarks.

In his customary transparent honesty, Bratton addressed the small percentage of NYPD officers who are “poisoning the well” and needed to be weeded out.

“My intention going forward is to ensure that we will aggressively seek to get those out of the department who should not be there—the brutal, the corrupt, the racist, the incompetent…

“They are poisoning the well, and the trust that we deserve and the trust that we need is eroded by some of their actions,” Bratton said.

This is a defining moment for transforming American policing. We will be on the path of reawakening the nation by encouraging police in their critical role as ethical guardians, giving them the assistance they deserve, and intensifying our resolve for enhancing police-community cohesiveness.

More:
Ethical Guardians: Repudiating the Ferguson Effect

Police-Community Crisis: Rise to the Occasion

Transforming American Policing: A Defining Moment

Police-Community Collaboration: America’s Public Safety Lifeline

Transforming the NYPD: Terminating Toxic Police Officers

NYPD Mission: Terminate, Train, Transform

Policing Demands Ethical Sentinels

Police–Community Division: America Unite

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Vincent is author of 175 articles including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing.


Photos

1. NYPD presence, Times Square, NYC, Jan. 15, 2016. (Vincent J. Bove)
2. Essex County New Jersey Police Academy graduates, Aug. 13, 2009. (Vincent J. Bove)
3. NYPD presence, Brooklyn Bridge during Good Friday procession, March 25, 2016. (Vincent J. Bove)

West Point Cadets: Honor, Leadership, America

West Point, formally known as the United States Military Academy (USMA) has been developing, motivating, and inspiring leaders of character for America for over 200 years.

The USMA is admired internationally for its academic, military, patriotic, and fitness programs. These are all built on the pillars of character, ethics, integrity, and leadership.

The West Point Mission is “To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.”

West Point Cadets: A Day to Remember

On Thursday, April 14,2016, I delivered the opening presentation as requested by the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD) for West Point Cadets visiting Jersey City.

Their visit honored the principles of community policing, patriotism, and leadership through a unique program titled “Winning the Peace.” This program is a collaboration of the USMA, JCPD, government leaders, faith-based communities, and corporate partners.

The initiative started twelve years ago and has included presentations as well as cadet visits to historic landmarks, Egyptian churches, various mosques and Islamic centers, Jewish synagogues, Mormon communities, and corporate facilities.

During my presentation titled “West Point Cadets: Honor, Leadership, America,” I encouraged the cadets to develop deep rooted values of character, ethics, and leadership.

This presentation honestly assessed critical issues facing America today and emphasized that ethical principles inspired by our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the West Point legacy are principles needed to transform the nation.

My agenda used a metaphor of a catastrophic head on collision with two trains traveling at high speed. I used this image with accompanying slides to illuminate America’s crisis of character and culture of violence in America society.

America’s shattered communities, demonstrated through deteriorated families, substance abuse, and the gang culture, resulting in violence, prison, death, were also depicted with my slide presentation.

After honestly addressing these issues, solutions were presented that included cultivating altruism, visionary leadership principles, a call to action, and the importance of always honoring America’s military sacrifices.

The visionary leadership portion of my presentation included these principles:

• Leadership must be grounded in moral self-confidence developed by understanding through study, hard work, and education

• Leadership must accept the diversity and talents of the team and forge partnerships, cohesion, and significance to a cause

• Leadership is aware of the efficacy of truth and the destructiveness of dishonesty

• Leadership opposes the immorality of injustice

• Leadership understands that there is no persuasion without credibility

• Leadership responds to the needs of the community with humility, appreciation, and selflessness

• Leadership overcomes every hardship, handicap, and challenge to achieve its goals

After my presentation, the JCPD escorted all attendees into the heart of America history with a tour of Ellis Island and then Empty Sky, the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial in Liberty State Park, Jersey City.

West Point: A History of Character Initiatives

This “Winning the Peace” program complemented 10 years of various initiatives I have had with the USMA.

These included three years of participation as a speaker, mentor, and senior leader for the National Conference on Ethics in America at the USMA.

Other initiatives included my speaking engagements with Lt. General Robert L. Caslen Jr., superintendent of the USMA. These involved our presentations for an FBI management retreat as well as for “The Inaugural New Jersey Conference: Character, Ethics, Leadership.” This was a filled to capacity conference for over 250 law enforcement officials hosted by The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey on May 12, 2014.

Both these events encouraged ethical leadership for FBI management and law enforcement as highlighted by these principles highlighted by Lt. General Caslen:

• Honor – adherence to the highest standards of integrity

• Respect – treating people with dignity

• Servant Leadership - putting others before ourselves

• Integrity – doing what is morally and ethically right even when no one is watching

Final Reflections

A day with the West Point Cadets was truly inspirational as these outstanding young men and women represent America’s ethical values. Their dedication to character, visionary leadership, and patriotism makes one proud of America and gives great hope for our future.

The collaborative leadership of the USMA, JPCD, government leaders, faith-based communities, and private enterprises made the event an outstanding success.

America’s future is bright, represented by the ethical principles of the USMA, and inspiring character in their cadets, shinning stars for the U.S. Army and our nation’s reawakening.

Finally, I would like to commend Captain Brian McDonough, Rtd., Jersey City Police Department, and currently Director of Healthcare Safety & Security for CarePoint Health Hoboken University Hospital. Brian's admired leadership career with the JCPD is unparalleled and his professionalism with coordinating my presentation for this event is truly appreciated.

More:

America’s Realignment: Character, Ethics, Leadership

America’s Leadership Crisis: Reigniting Our Character

Life Lessons From the United States Military

Understanding Islam Is Essential to Community Policing

The FBI: Honor, Leadership, Protecting America

Testimonial

“I would like to personally thank you for your presentation at the annual Jersey City Police Department sponsored "Winning the Peace Program." A community-policing program that integrates diverse beliefs and opinions of leaders who represent multiple ethnic groups and various religious organizations, corporations, season veteran police officers, and West Point cadets. Judging from the attention-focused and thought provoking questions of the cadets, I believe your illumination of America’s crisis of character and culture of violence inspired all leaders in attendance. More specifically, the future military leaders of the United States Army, motivating them to challenge and overcome these lapses of leadership through their deep rooted values of character, ethics, and leadership.” Captain Brian McDonough, Rtd., Jersey City Police Department

Photos

1. U.S. Army Major Ryan Boeka (l) and U.S. Army Major Aaron Miller (r) lead West Point Cadets through Empty Sky, the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, April 14, 2016. (Vincent J. Bove)

2. West Point Cadets during change of class, April 3, 2006. (Vincent J. Bove)

3. Attendees at the National Conference on Ethics in America at West Point walking to conference presentations, October 20, 2008. (Vincent J. Bove)

4. West Point Honor Code monument at the USMA campus. (Vincent J. Bove)

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Vincent is author of 175 articles including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing.

Columbine, Virginia Tech Anniversaries: Reverence, Vigilance, Prevention

As America commemorates the anniversaries of the Columbine High School and Virginia Tech tragedies on the fateful days of April 16 and 20 respectively, we must pause.

The events demand reverence for those who lost their lives and prayer for their families.

Vigilance, especially during these tragic anniversary times, is also in order. An abundance of caution must be the foundation of mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery principles of crisis management.

Columbine: A Snapshot

On April 20, 1999, two students killed 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, before committing suicide. The tragedy sparked a national response on school violence, bullying, character education, crisis planning, warning signs, police tactics, and firearms.

The tragedy continues to be analyzed due to its issues including the following:

• Diversionary tactics
• Propane tanks converted to bombs
• Nearly 100 explosive devices and bombs
• Firearms including a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun, a Hi-Point 995 Carbine 9mm, and a 9mm Intratec TEC-9 semi-automatic handgun.

Columbine, and other incidents, led to a U.S. Secret Service report that shared the following findings relative to pre-attack behavior:

• Incidents of targeted violence at school were rarely sudden, impulsive acts.
• Prior to most incidents, other people knew about the attacker’s idea and/or plan to attack.
• Most attackers did not threaten their targets directly prior to advancing the attack.
• There is no accurate or useful profile of students who engaged in targeted school violence.
• Most attackers engaged in some behavior prior to the incident that caused others concern, or indicated a need for help.
• Most attackers had difficulty coping with significant losses or personal failures. Moreover, many had considered or attempted suicide.
• Many attackers felt bullied, persecuted, or injured by others prior to the attack.
• Most attackers had access to and had used weapons prior to the attack.
• In many cases, other students were involved in some capacity.
• Despite prompt law enforcement responses, most shooting incidents were stopped by means other than law enforcement intervention.

Virginia Tech: A Snapshot

The serenity of Virginia Tech was shattered on April 16, 2007, with 32 students and teachers killed and 17 wounded.

This violence was particularly heart wrenching because it was preventable. But lessons were not learned from the Columbine tragedy and numerous government documents including the following:

• “Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools,” August 1998
• “The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States” by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education, May 2002
• “Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities,” May 2003

Despite a student killing two students on the fourth floor of the West Ambler Johnston residence hall, there were no precautions taken by school administration for the possibility that other shootings may occur. It was more than two hours later when an email alert was sent to the entire campus, but no emergency actions, such as lockdown, were implemented. Reprehensibly, the email did not emphasize that two students were killed or that the shooter was still at large.

Virginia Tech was eerily reminiscent of the Columbine tragedy—whose eighth anniversary was to be commemorated in just four days. It would be later discovered that the killer was obsessed with the Columbine killings.

How is it conceivable that two people are killed on a college campus during the anniversary week of Columbine, with a killer at large and no lockdown implemented? The failure of leadership is inexcusable as nothing was done to prevent the additional killings and injuries over two hours later.

Also, despite the pleadings of a vigilant professor calling for help for this student who manifested severe, troubling warning signs, school officials failed to provide the proper intervention to protect the campus. Not only were there warning signs, but the university had been put on notice at least a year and a half before the incident.

America wake up: character education, warning signs, threat assessment, and crisis planning principles must be the order of the day.

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Linkedin: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

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Vincent is author of 175 articles including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing. This blog was published in the Epoch Times, April 17,2015 edition.

Photos

1. Mourners during Virginia Tech's Day of Remembrance honoring the 32 people killed in a mass shooting one year earlier, in Blacksburg, Va., on April 16, 2008. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

2. The cover of the study “Campus Attacks” released in April 2010. (Courtesy of FBI, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Secret Service)

3. Victims of violent crime by age. (Courtesy of U.S. Department of Education)

Torture, Waterboarding Demand America’s Moral Realignment

Torture and waterboarding have been topics of conversation with current American presidential candidates, and issues of controversy that demand our moral realignment.

These issues involve intense emotionality but cooler heads must prevail, which is only possible with a proper understanding of natural law, ethical principles, and human decency.

The Natural Law: Foundation of Ethical Decisions

The natural law is engraved in to the heart of each rational person, beckoning them to make ethical decisions that benefit society and the common good.

Natural law is always governed by reason and it is universal to every human being.

Philosophically, human beings have the capacity to freely make decisions and the foundation of ethical choices must always complement the natural law.

Despite different places, times, and circumstances, natural law binds people of good will together. It has the capacity to overcome ignorance, hostility, and hatred.

Even with misunderstandings, as well as atrocities and acts of terrorism, the natural law must never be destroyed or removed from the heart of moral dignity.

The natural law is the foundation of ethical behavior, critical to the human community, and indispensable for civil law and societal harmony.

It is impossible for presidential candidates, government leaders, or anyone entrusted with authority over others to make correct moral decisions without a proper understanding of natural law and a dedication to its principles.

Abu Ghraib Torture Scandal: America’s Shame

During my past experiences with the National Conference on Ethics in America at the United States Military Academy (USMA), I had the privilege of sharing, as well as listening, to inspirational ethical principles by military, corporate, athletic, and student leaders.

During one presentation on October 22, 2007, Lt. General Franklin L. Hagenbeck, superintendent of the USMA at the time, honestly addressed the Abu Ghraib torture scandal.

Hagenbeck stated that the scandal was a failure of ethical principles, the rule of law, justice, and integrity, defiling the U.S. Military reputation and our national honor.

Some fast facts on this shameful chapter of American history that violated natural law, human decency, and the honor deserving of our military, include the following:

• Abu Ghraib was a U.S. Army detention center for captured Iraq’s from 2003-2006, holding as many as 3,800 detainees.

• Eleven U.S. soldiers were convicted of crimes relating to the scandal and a number of others were charged but not reprimanded.

• Abuses were depicted in graphic photographs that went viral, showing detainees being humiliated, tortured, and abused. The scandal was described by the secretary of defense at the time as “incidents of physical violence towards prisoners, acts that can only be described as blatantly sadistic, cruel, and inhuman.”

Fitting, Hagenbeck’s assessment of the abuse was followed by a presentation by Len Marella, a graduate of West Point, who stressed that we must rise above the current ethical crisis by “developing citizens of character, which is the most defining issue of our time and this [is] only possible when we seek to discover truth and decide what is right.”

Waterboarding: Issues and Response

Recently, Republican presidential candidates have addressed issues of torture and waterboarding.

One candidate stated, “Well, under the definition of torture, [waterboarding] no it’s not … It is enhanced interrogation, it is vigorous interrogation, but it does not meet the generally recognized definition of torture.”

Another candidate, also misunderstanding natural law and ethical military conduct stated, “I have no doubt that it [waterboarding] works in terms of information and other things. And maybe not always. But I have no doubt it works.”

This candidate vowed he would bring back not only the practice of waterboarding but more.

These approaches are misguided as our nation must honor the natural law, and avoid any superficiality or desecration of its principles.

Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war who personally experienced episodes of torture, said about waterboarding, “These forms of torture not only failed their purpose to secure actionable intelligence to prevent further attacks on the United States and our allies, but compromised our values, stained our national honor and did little practical good.”

Aside from McCain, CIA Director John Brennan has made it clear that his agency will not engage in harsh “enhanced interrogation” practices, including waterboarding – even if ordered to do so by a future president.

Brennan was unequivocal in his statement, “Absolutely, I would not agree to having any CIA officer carrying out waterboarding again.”

Final Reflections

There are individuals who desecrate the natural law and violate human dignity. But America must carry the torch of ethical principles and never lower our standards to those who dishonor humanity's moral code.

Understanding natural law, Thomas Jefferson stated, “If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.”

America is one of the treasures of the world because of our respect for human rights, moral decency, and natural law.

Our nation clearly understands that contempt for human decency is a violation of our ethical principles deeply rooted in our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

America must also understand that torture, using any form of physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, abuse opponents, or sadistically satisfy revenge, is a contradiction of our dignity and moral values.

Our country deserves a moral realignment highlighted by character, ethics, and leadership.

America will be on the path to reawakening the nation when the natural law, human dignity, and moral decency are honored, and done so without compromise.

More:

Lincoln’s Leadership Principles for Presidential Candidates

America’s Next President Demands an Ethical Protector

America’s President Must Have Character, Ethics, Leadership

America’s Next President Needs to Have Altruistic Leadership

America’s Leadership Crisis: Reigniting Our Character

America’s Realignment: Character, Ethics, Leadership

Note Well:

Linkedin: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

Join Vincent’s Linkedin Group: The Sentinel: Reawakening the Nation

Facebook: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

Vincent is author of 175 articles including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing.

Photo

An Iraqi man waits for the release of his relative detained in the Abu Ghraib prison, outside of Baghdad, Iraq, on May 21, 2004. (Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)

America’s Deadly Drug Crisis Demands Moral Courage

There are staggering statistics of America’s drug abuse crisis that can appear sterile but the reality is human brokenness, family heartbreak, and shattered communities.

Opiods alone are killing nearly as many Americans as guns or auto accidents, an estimated 28,647 a year, or 78 people a day.

The drug crisis is fueled not only by dope pushers but doctors too easily prescribing painkillers and by the public ignorance regarding abuse, addiction, and deadly consequences.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are reaping billions of dollars in profit as many abuse the system with activities including doctor shopping for multiple prescriptions.

America’s response must be ignited by moral courage, the critical principle of effective leadership, so that the scourge of the drug abuse crisis is remedied.

Recent Deaths: A Partial List

These are only a few of the tragic incidents memorializing the human suffering associated with our drug abuse crisis:

Grand Prairie, TX: A heart-wrenching tragedy was in a published April 1 report and involved a mother, high on heroin, admitting to beating her 4-year-old daughter to death. The child, Leiliana Wright, died of blunt force trauma to the head and abdomen. Police say the mother admitted to shooting heroin and then repeatedly hit the child with a belt and bamboo stick after the girl drank her 18-month-old brothers’ juice.

Sacramento, CA: A March 31 report documented the death of an El Dorado Hills teen, who was the 29th recent case of overdose deaths related to fentanyl in the county. “We get a lot of overdose deaths every day, so you can’t automatically assume they’re related to fentanyl and hydrocodone pills,' said El Dorado County Office spokesperson Lt. Jim Beyers. “But we were advised … that it was confirmed fentanyl.”

Cheatham, TN: On March 26, a 17-year-old high school student died from what local law enforcement authorities stated as “We believe he drank a mixture of liquid morphine and Gatorade.”

Milwaukee, WI: A March 16 report noted that officials with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office finalized more than 250 drug-related deaths in the county in 2015. Perhaps the most startling fact of the report is that fentanyl deaths increased by 500 percent. Sara Schreiber, the forensic toxicology director emphasized the potency of fentanyl as “something that is prescribed for chronic pain. It's often given to cancer patients or patients suffering from a great deal of pain for a long period of time.”

Covington, LA: on March 13, 17-year-old Alexander James Shelly was found dead. Apparently, he and a friend were smoking synthetic marijuana when they both blacked out. When the friend woke up, investigators say, he found Shelly face-down in a flooded ditch.

Opiod Addiction: 2016 Facts and Figures

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), America is experiencing an epidemic of drug abuse overdose deaths.

The CDC notes that since 2000, the “rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased 137%, including a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opiods.”

Since opiod abuse in on the rise, let us take a moment to address the crisis associated with this class of drugs.

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), “opiods are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin as well as the licit prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl, and others.

ASAM also notes the following in a 2016 facts and figures document:

• Of the 21.5 million Americans 12 or older that had a substance use disorder in 2014, (2015 statistics are still being compiled) 1.9 million had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers and 586,000 had a substance use disorder involving heroin.

• It is estimated that 23% of individuals who use heroin develop opioid addiction.

• Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014.

• In 2014, 467,000 adolescents were current nonmedical users of pain relievers, with 168,000 having an addiction to prescription pain relievers.

• In 2014, an estimated 28,000 adolescents had used heroin in the past year, and an estimated 16,000 were current heroin users. Additionally, an estimated 18,000 adolescents had a heroin use disorder in 2014.

Empowering America’s Youth to Turn the Tide

Although there are many approaches to our drug abuse crisis, let us spotlight the importance of empowering our youth as critical advocates to remedy the crisis.

In my signature presentation titled, “Be a Person of Character: Change the World,” which I have been privileged to present to thousands of middle school, high school, and college students, I honestly address the brokenness in society that has been compounded by the drug abuse crisis.

It is my firm conviction that honestly assessing this issue by showing the tragic consequences, and empowering our youth with the encouragement they need, will help defeat this crisis and change the course of the nation.

Final Reflections

America’s drug abuse scourge is inflicting unimaginable heartbreak to communities, families, and individuals.

We will be on the path to reawakening the nation when we respond from many perspectives, but include speaking heart-to-heart with our youth, especially through America’s schools.

America’s youth deserve the example, encouragement, and tools needed to use their energy to terminate our deadly drug abuse crisis.

More:

America’s 21st Century Student: Character, Courage, Community

America’s Graduates: Transform the Nation With Character

American Teachers: Inspire the Heart and Transform the Country

America’s 21st Century Parent: Interested, Informed, Involved

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Linkedin: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

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As authored for Vincent’s weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times, 35 countries, 21 languages and growing.