LEONARDTOWN, Md. – February 28, 2017: On January 12, 2017, the Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) Class of 2017 participated in the fourth of nine educational sessions – Public Safety. The day began with an introduction and welcome by facilitator Don Bouchard LSM ’10 at College of Southern Maryland’s La Plata campus with a presentation by Gerald Gardiner Jr. LSM’15 on Emergency Management in the region. The class boarded a bus and toured of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute’s, Southern Maryland Regional Training Center, where participants learned how the region’s fire and rescue volunteers are trained. The training demonstration at the facility that day was conducted by the La Plata Volunteer Fire Department firefighters. The tour of the training center was led by its coordinator Dan Stevens and Tom Mattingly, Sr., a lifelong volunteer with the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department and recipient of the 1999 Silver Spring Trophy, awarded to the individual who has done the most in the area of fire prevention for his/her community.
The class then toured the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy in Welcome, Maryland, where the region’s law enforcement officers are trained and certified. Captain Richard Gray, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and assistant director of the academy, gave an in-depth tour that included an opportunity to try the crime scene pursuit simulator. The class returned to the College of Southern Maryland where they enjoyed a lunch panel discussion with Sheriff Mike Evans (Calvert), Assistant Sheriff of Operations Major Chris Becker (Charles), and Sheriff Tim Cameron (St. Mary’s) gave the class insights into the challenges each county’s law enforcement faces and how collaboration on issues has mitigated certain criminal activities across the region.
The afternoon provided introduction to the Southern Maryland Information Center, where law enforcement collects, evaluates, and disseminates information on known or suspected criminal violators, groups or organizations for analytical exploitation. This was followed by an overview of the operations of the Maryland National Guard by Colonel Charles Kohler (Public Affairs Officer, Maryland Army National Guard).
The class wrapped up their day with a networking event that evening hosted at the LSM Alumni Association at the Greene Turtle in La Plata, Maryland. Class participants were able to meet and interact with LSM alumni, more than 270 strong.
Leadership Southern Maryland is a nine-month tuition-based program and is designed and dedicated to educate and inspire a diverse group of current and emerging leaders to create collaborations and partnerships to impact the community needs of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties and incorporates a cross-section of the region to include diversity of geographic location, profession, ethnicity and gender.
Leadership Southern Maryland is now accepting applications for the 10th graduating class of this amazing program. Interested emerging and senior leaders should visit devaney.adminprotools.com to learn more about the Executive Program and apply by April 1, 2017.
Leadership Southern Maryland is a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service (EIN#26-2989381). Contributions are deductible as charitable contributions to the extent permitted by law.
For more information, please contact the Helen Mattingly Wernecke, Executive Director Leadership Southern Maryland, 240-725-5469 via email helen@leadershipsomd.org or visit devaney.adminprotools.com.
