PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE


As this summer comes to a close and children and families prepare for the upcoming school year, it is my hope that each of you seized an opportunity to find “free time” to unwind and recharge. Whether it was a long 4th of July weekend or a two week cruise, taking time off to unwind and recharge is criti- cally important to our individual health and wellness.


Our chosen profession, unlike any other, is constantly exposed to constant health and safety risks. While the risks associated with violent subjects is well known and documented, so too are the risks we face from stress and fatigue. While we constantly focus on the health and safety of our officers, we must find time to unwind and de-stress ourselves. For ourselves, first and fore- most, and for our loved ones and families.


If you haven’t yet found some stress relief for the summer, maybe a trip to FPCA’s Summer Conference could help. The line-up of training at this year’s


FPCA summer conference is, once again, simply outstanding! Dr. Dale Henry will be our keynote speaker on Tuesday during the conference and if you have never heard him you are in for a real treat. Even those that have heard Dr. Henry will not want to miss this presentation.


As we look forward to the start of the school year, I know that great progress has been made by all of us to provide for the safety of our children. While the most taxing requirement of Senate Bill 7026 is the provision for armed personnel at our schools, the establishment of threat assessment teams and the coordination of active shooter safety drills with our schools are equally important. Well-constructed threat assessment teams could be key toward preventing another mass tragedy at one of our schools.


Speaking of bills, as we enter fall, now is the perfect time to engage our local Senators and Representatives. Before we know it, the legislative session will be in full swing. In the next couple of months, the legislators will begin the process of outlining the various bills they will bring forward during session. Our success each session hinges on ensuring our legislators know what issues we support, as well as those that we oppose. Reach out to your legislators now to ensure that they will turn to you later for your expertise and opinion. Great officers with bad laws are a recipe for disaster.


The last year has been challenging, exciting, and rewarding from both a personal and professional perspec- tive. The opportunity to serve as the FPCA president will always be one of the highlights of my law enforce- ment career. I am extremely thankful for all those who stepped forward to assist me and the FPCA over the last year. While we may be the third largest police association in the country, we are first as an association with providing our members with the information, tools, and resources to be truly successful.


In closing, the strength of the Florida Police Chiefs Association lies in and with its members. I encourage you to get involved and stay involved. I am confident that one of the various committees would be of interest to each of you and would benefit from your participation. With your help we can make OUR association even better than it is today!


Kevin Lystad Chief, Miami Shores Police Department


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