APCO International President Gregg Riddle Reflects on Conference ...

Value of Conference Attendance
I have been attending APCO since 1984 when the conference was held in Cincinnati. Many of our members understand the value of the time spent at the conference. There is a diverse set of educational tracks that help reinforce our knowledge base and expand it into the latest topics faced by our industry. There are also opportunities to visit several hundred booths on the vendor floor to see the latest technologies that are offered for our industry.

I would like to add one more benefit that is not necessarily understood by first-time attendees. This is the opportunity to network with other professionals in our industry. I would strongly encourage the first-time attendee to meet and talk to as many of our other attendees as time permits. I have found over the years that these friendships have allowed me to seek answers to issues that I have faced. When you realize that others have come up against similar dilemmas, it makes it easier to analyze the suggestions and select the one that helps you to resolve your issue. This may sound like it applies more to management or those dealing with technologies and not to those who are taking 9-1-1 calls or dispatching. However, it is also a great method to understand the options that are out there related to scheduling, time off, benefits and ultimately retirement systems.

So take the time to attend social activities and talk to those sitting next to you in the educational sessions and build on this year after year when you get the opportunity to attend another APCO Conference.

APCO & Leadership
One thing that APCO offers it members is the chance to certify as a Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL). I took the class when it was first offered in 2007, along with about 50 other APCO members. This class is done online and takes about one year to complete. RPL is a benefit to any of our members regardless of your job responsibilities in public safety communications. I took the class when I was in an upper management position with 37 years in public safety. After completing the course, I came to the realization that anyone in the PSAP could benefit from this course. As managers, we are always evaluating our employees for performance and promotion. I contend that the top performers could benefit from this type of class. It would give them a solid foundation to use as they seek to advance in their chosen profession or help lead their fellow employees. The RPL certification does come at a cost, but APCO offers scholarships to help offset the cost of the RPL program for APCO members.

Moving Forward
During my four years on the Board of Officers, which was converted into the Executive Committee, I have seen a significant change in the political activities of our association. Many years ago our leaders recognized the value of establishing a presence in Washington, D.C. This small beginning has morphed into a building that is now owned in Alexandria, Va., just across the river from D.C. Over these many years, APCO has become increasingly more engaged in the politics that confront our industry. Along with our very professional staff, led by a very knowledgeable and energetic management team, the Executive Committee and Board of Directors have been working to educate our elected leaders in D.C. A huge part of this effort was directly supported by our membership. Time after time the members have stepped up and responded to the calls to action, which were critically important to our efforts. This was most notably brought to light this past February when the efforts of APCO and our Public Safety Alliance partners caused Congress to give the D Block portion of the 700 MHz spectrum to public safety. The basis of APCO?s strength is in our membership. This success occurred after APCO and our partners were told by so many that we would never obtain the D Block.

A couple of weeks ago, I was informed that our membership had reached 15,662. This is a great beginning, but to help APCO realize our agendas ? based on the old adage ?there is strength in numbers? ? we must continue to build our membership. One of the best ways to do this is through the Group Membership program. This is new for APCO and just recently became an option for membership. This allows an agency to register all of their employees as APCO members on a graduated basis and at a reduced cost. It relates to every employee having an individual membership. With increased members, APCO will have a better chance to be successful in reaching our legislative interests. Increased membership can also be a benefit at the chapter level, where increased numbers can make for a louder voice as it relates to chapter such concerns as certification, standardized training and retirement benefits.

Note: Gregg Riddle will step down as APCO president when Terry Hall takes office on Tuesday evening.

Source: http://psc.apcointl.org/2012/08/18/apco-international-president-gregg-riddle-reflects-on-conference-leadership/

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