09-29-2009, 06:14 AM
Miramar police officers will be receiving training on how to better communicate with the community.
The weeklong training session in November is the result of a $15,000 contract between the police department and South Carolina-based PepWorks International. The contract, recently approved by the City Commission, uses money from the state Law Enforcement Trust Fund, which is funded by money confiscated from criminals.
"There's always room for improvement," said Detective Yessenia Diaz, a police spokeswoman. "We want to improve what we've already established."
PepWorks' founder, Greg Blake, left the corporate world behind to start his motivational speaking business. He travels around the country working with different companies, hospitals and law enforcement agencies.
Blake said that under the current economy, members of any organization need positive reinforcement.
"A lot of people are scared, thinking 'Hey, I'm next,'" Blake said.
Downsizing and cost cutting are always concerns, but Blake said police departments have their own issues to contend with, such as the stress created by long hours. But they're also similar in that people will leave a job if they don't feel they're being treated well or if their ideas aren't important.
In working with police departments, Blake said he customizes his approach for each client. Meeting with an administration, Blake determines what the office culture is like and what they want to change. One area that Blake emphasizes for change is hiring practices. Blake said an applicant with aptitude and a good attitude is preferable to an experienced person with a bad attitude.
"As morale dips, cynicism surges," he said. "It leads to apathy and mediocrity."
As a motivational speaker, Blake said his goal is to keep his audience engaged. Billing himself as an "edutainer" and "chief encouragement officer," Blake tailors his presentations to younger workers and moves from subject to subject to keep things flowing.
By working with Blake, the department will be able to improve its methods of communication and establish better partnerships with the community, Diaz said. Enhanced communication would eventually lead to increased success for the department's crime prevention programs, she said.
"A passionate approach to law enforcement is something we need to be conscientious of and constantly practice," Diaz said.
The weeklong training session in November is the result of a $15,000 contract between the police department and South Carolina-based PepWorks International. The contract, recently approved by the City Commission, uses money from the state Law Enforcement Trust Fund, which is funded by money confiscated from criminals.
"There's always room for improvement," said Detective Yessenia Diaz, a police spokeswoman. "We want to improve what we've already established."
PepWorks' founder, Greg Blake, left the corporate world behind to start his motivational speaking business. He travels around the country working with different companies, hospitals and law enforcement agencies.
Blake said that under the current economy, members of any organization need positive reinforcement.
"A lot of people are scared, thinking 'Hey, I'm next,'" Blake said.
Downsizing and cost cutting are always concerns, but Blake said police departments have their own issues to contend with, such as the stress created by long hours. But they're also similar in that people will leave a job if they don't feel they're being treated well or if their ideas aren't important.
In working with police departments, Blake said he customizes his approach for each client. Meeting with an administration, Blake determines what the office culture is like and what they want to change. One area that Blake emphasizes for change is hiring practices. Blake said an applicant with aptitude and a good attitude is preferable to an experienced person with a bad attitude.
"As morale dips, cynicism surges," he said. "It leads to apathy and mediocrity."
As a motivational speaker, Blake said his goal is to keep his audience engaged. Billing himself as an "edutainer" and "chief encouragement officer," Blake tailors his presentations to younger workers and moves from subject to subject to keep things flowing.
By working with Blake, the department will be able to improve its methods of communication and establish better partnerships with the community, Diaz said. Enhanced communication would eventually lead to increased success for the department's crime prevention programs, she said.
"A passionate approach to law enforcement is something we need to be conscientious of and constantly practice," Diaz said.