MARYLAND CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION, INC.
Chartered June 30, 1961 Incorporated September 8, 1961.
Greetings,
Welcome to the members of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and to all visitors to our web page. Thank you for your interest in our fine organization. I encourage you to check back frequently to get the latest news and updates on relevant topics and events within our organization.
I am honored to serve as the 47th President of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association. This is a historic year for our association. I am proud and humbled to be added to the list of individuals who have nobly served as President of this association in the past.
I am committed to representing our organization in a professional and ethical manner and I will do my best to listen to your ideas, advice and insight. Don’t hesitate to contact me with any issues or concerns. bdipino@ococean.com.
I encourage all Chiefs and Commanders throughout the State to consider joining this fine organization. If you are already a member, consider recruiting a new member! If everyone in our association asks just one person this year to join, we would double our membership next year. Imagine where we would be in five years! This organization has so much to offer chiefs and commanders. The Maryland Chiefs of Police Association embraced me when I first became a Chief in Ocean City. They were a lifeline to me through so many challenging situations. I found their support and insight was invaluable to helping me survive the many demands I faced as a new chief. Joining is easy! Fill out the brief form, get a current member to sponsor you and pay a small fee. The benefits you get are more than worth the small cost to join. You get training, many opportunities to network with chiefs and commanders throughout the state, a sticker to proudly display on your vehicle, a membership card and a resource group of associates who render friendship, information, understanding and support. One of our main goals this year is to get more tangible benefits for our membership.
Our association is strong because of its membership. Our members dedicate their time and energy to the many committees sponsored by the Chiefs. We will be a better organization if we could get more members involved. We need you! I have found most people want to help and be involved, but they just need to be asked. So, here it goes… Will YOU HELP US? Please consider volunteering your time and efforts. We need members for our various committees. Consider joining the Conference, Legislative, Finance, Strategic Planning, Training, Foundation, 50th Anniversary Celebration-2011 (In three short years we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary as an organization. We plan to make the year a memorable one. Please consider joining the team who will make the entire year a celebration to remember!), or Election Committees. We are also looking for a historian/photographer. Everyone can help our historian by taking photos at various functions and submitting them to us.
You don’t need a lot of time to get involved, just a commitment to excellence. I know you will have fun and feel a sense of accomplishment. Please send me an email if you are interested: bdipino@ococean.com . Just tell me which committee you want to join. One goal for this coming year includes increasing attendance and participation at quarterly meetings. In keeping up with technology, the Maryland Chiefs wants to add teleconferencing to its quarterly meetings so Chiefs and Commanders who can not physically attend meetings can “attend” through their computer.
Training for our membership has always been a priority and our goal this year is to take our training to a new level. We are committed to adding relevant, professional, and informative training for our members. We plan to recruit interesting and dynamic instructors to provide valuable information to help us do our job in these progressive and challenging times. As Maryland Chiefs and Commanders, we face a lot of legal, personnel, and ethical challenges as well as the need to develop strategies for prevention of crime and apprehension of criminals. The Maryland Chiefs of Police Association wants to be your resource center for information related to the operation of your professional law enforcement organization.
I am committed to maintaining the level of excellence set by my predecessors. Our association is a well respected and highly regarded organization recognized for its positive, ethical, and judicial voice.
Our organization is committed to helping people. We have a great reputation for our commitment to the Torch Run. I encourage you to think about making a contribution to a charitable organization. Giving back to our community has always been important to me. It is one of the reasons I chose law enforcement as a career. Please consider donating to the Torch Run, COPS (Concern for Police Survivors), The National Law Enforcement Museum, the American Red Cross, or any other organization you feel is committed to helping people in need. If you look at the heart of an organization you see its true character. When I look at our heart, I see it is full of love and generosity to our fellow man and woman. Your donation of time and money says a lot about us. Thank you in advance for you kindness and generosity.
Lastly, I encourage you to continue to reflect the values of integrity, honor and ethical behavior of which our organization is renowned so we can remain role models to our community, our officers, and our families.
As always, Be Safe,
Chief Bernadette DiPino
Ocean City Police Department
President Maryland Chiefs of Police Association