LECET
The mission of the Law Enforcement-Community Engagement Training (LECET) is to professionalize law enforcement community relations efforts through comprehensive, high-quality education.
Upcoming Seminars in New York State
On June 17, 2024, MovementForward, Inc. (MFI) hosted the first Law Enforcement Community Engagement Training (LECET) Seminar. This comprehensive one-day seminar was held in partnership with the Florida Public Safety Institute and delivered by the expert instructors, Kevin Martinez (MFI Manager of Law Enforcement Partnership) and Andrew Starzec (Brownstown Police Deputy Chief). The seminar included discussions on fostering a culture of community engagement within law enforcement organizations, building logistics and project management skills, and enhancing public speaking expertise. The seminar was offered at no cost to the 33 attendees from Florida and Georgia police agencies.
MFI has partnered with the New York Department of Criminal Justice Services to deliver the next series of LECET Seminars across the state. The goal of these seminars are to professionalize law enforcement efforts in developing meaningful partnerships with community members and organizations to enhance police legitimacy, ultimately reducing crime and building safer communities. The New York seminars will be held in the fall. For more information, click here.
About
LECET equips law enforcement with skills that encourage transparency and effective communication, inspiring positive community collaboration for safer communities. When residents see their local law enforcement engaging with the community, they feel safer and have more trust and understanding for their public safety professionals. LECET offers engaging seminars that cultivate the knowledge necessary to build community trust and police legitimacy.
Equip yourself with vital skills! The Law Enforcement Community Engagement Training seminar focuses on fostering positive community relations, effective communication, leadership development, and more. Enhance your agency standards and contribute to safer neighborhoods. Georgia-based students will receive 8 hours of GaPOST credit, including 4 hours towards the annual Community Policing requirements.
The 2025 training sessions are being organized and more information on registration will be available shortly. Custom training custom sessions can also be developed for agencies. For more information, contact lecet@movementforward.org.
COMPONENTS
Community Engagement 101
The role of law enforcement extends beyond calls for service and criminal investigations, as officers also play an important role in community engagement. To further the outreach and engagement efforts of law enforcement organizations, they must properly understand the fundamentals of community engagement and utilize this knowledge to achieve the vision of community-based public safety.
Community Engagement 101 will teach students various concepts and approaches to police-community engagement, discussing the benefits, methods, and real-life examples of effective community engagement.
Creating a Culture of Community Engagement
To ensure community trust in their local law enforcement and to further police legitimacy, law enforcement organizations must adopt an agency-wide culture of community engagement. All staff, from sworn to non-sworn, line-level to executive, must comprehend the agency’s mission and consistently work in a unified effort to ingrain a culture of community engagement throughout the organization.
Creating a Culture of Community Engagement provides students with the knowledge and strategies of developing an organization-wide culture which promotes community engagement.
Planning and Coordinating Community Events
Many law enforcement agencies across the country plan a variety of community events throughout the year. Planning new community events is a great way to create opportunities to engage with untapped community groups and increase our outreach efforts, but must be done effectively to realize lasting impact.
Planning and Coordinating Community Events will equip students with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to effectively plan community events and confidently coordinate those plans.
Delivering Engaging Presentations
Law enforcement, from the ranks of officers and deputies to chiefs and sheriffs are often tasked with delivering presentations, often with little to no formal training on how to professionalize their communication skills as presenters.
Delivering Engaging Presentations is designed to teach law enforcement how to maintain an audience’s attention and provide impactful presentations, developing the student’s communication skills and further law enforcement professionalism.
Instructors
Kevin Martinez | Partnerships & Outreach Coordinator (MFI)
Kevin Martinez is a retired Police Sergeant in the State of Georgia, having served 14 years in law enforcement. Prior to joining MFI, Kevin’s devotion to community engagement and criminal justice was established after becoming a police officer with the New York Department of Environmental Protection. His career in law enforcement progressed after moving to the State of Georgia where he received expert training as a CPTED practitioner, De-escalation and Use of Force Instructor, and Law Enforcement Leadership. Most recently, he rose through the ranks and served as a Sergeant with the City of Brookhaven Police Department, playing a vital role in the agency’s asset and finance management, leadership development, police training courses, and community outreach efforts. He encouraged his agency’s participation in the MFI OneCOP and Faith & Blue initiatives, developing new partnerships with his community’s faith-based leadership. He has received accolades from local community organizations and police executives for his advancement of police-community engagement projects and the development of law enforcement educational programs. Kevin seeks to continue his work in the furtherance of police legitimacy and enhance the quality of life for all communities by facilitating high quality and professional police services.
Scott Heggelke | Chief of Police, Skaneateles PD
Scott Heggelke is a law enforcement professional with over 40 years of service, who currently serves as the Chief of Police for the Village of Skaneateles (NY). Prior to becoming Chief of Police, Scott began as patrol officer with the Baltimore Police Department and served in a variety of roles in a 32-year career with the New York State Police, retiring as a Captain in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. He serves as a Counter-Terrorism Co-Chair, Co-Chair of the Southern Tier Human Trafficking Task Force, is a member Binghamton-Broome Anti-Poverty Initiative, and a legacy member of the Law Enforcement Community Engagement Network. Scott has a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University at Albany. He is a certified police instructor in New York State, and an Adjunct Instructor for the National White Collar Crime Center. Scott is highly engaged in police-community relations and recognized as leader in the field, believing strongly in taking an inclusive approach to build safer communities.
Andrew Starzec | Deputy Chief, Brownstown PD
Andrew is a highly accomplished law enforcement professional whose journey from patrol officer to Deputy Chief of the Brownstown (MI) Police Department reflects his dedication and commitment to serving his community. Andrew started his career in law enforcement in 2004 and has served in various roles such as special investigations, undercover investigations, and more. His educational pursuits, including obtaining a master’s degree in criminal justice, showcase his desire for continuous learning and professional development. Andrew has earned nationwide accolades for leading the community engagement efforts in Brownstown as well as serving on multiple nonprofit boards to improve police/community relationships, which includes his membership in the Law Enforcement Community Engagement Network. Andrew’s career trajectory and achievements exemplify a passionate and dedicated professional who prioritizes community welfare and collaboration in law enforcement efforts.
Ronald J. Dixon | Special Project Manager, City of Buffalo
Ron. Dixon currently serves as the Special Project Manager for Crime Prevention at Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency. His role involves designing and implementing programming aligned with federal guidelines under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to address crime prevention effectively and providing training for law enforcement professionals. Ron played a pivotal role in leading a one-hundred-man march, during which he compiled data from the citizens and listed thirty-three legislative agendas that significantly contributed to the Buffalo Police Reform. For his outstanding contributions, Ronald was honored with the prestigious 30 under 30 Changemaker Award in New York, recognizing his exceptional achievements in the realm of community engagement. Ron serves as a minister in training for Impacting Love Global Ministry, serving as the head of the Men’s Ministry. Ron is committed to supporting and uplifting others, as continues to create a positive impact in the community.
Jared Feuer | Chief Operating Officer (MFI)
Jared Feuer is the Chief Operating Officer for MFI where he leads the strategic development and rollout of organizational initiatives. In this capacity, Jared facilitated the launch of National Faith & Blue Weekend (Faith & Blue) and the Law Enforcement Community Engagement Network (LECEN). Jared’s background is in human rights, engaging marginalized voices, and building bridges with law enforcement. From this background, Jared has led the creation of multiple training and implementation resources, serving as content director for the writing of the Faith & Blue toolkit, the Collaborating to Connect guide with the National Sheriffs’ Association, and the Faith Based Partnerships Guide with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services of the Department of Justice. Jared is a frequent speaker to diverse audiences, including at conferences and trainings and to members of the media.
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