Voices from the Top
From the National President
By Joseph A. McMillan
Sep 2, 2008 - 8:42:57 AM

National President Joseph McMillan

Well we are off and running!  Since the conference, First Vice President Ernest Green, Second Vice President Patrick Melvin and myself have been moving full steam ahead in addressing issues, which you have entrusted to us.  However, none of our achievements would be possible were it not for the participation of dedicated staff in the National Office, the Executive Board Chapter Presidents, Committees and most importantly, you the members.  Some have said that we have an aggressive agenda and I concur.  I also maintain that while aggressive it is also achievable, and provides long terms strategic benefit for our organization.  I am committed to being results driven and know that with your support and assistance we will collectively move NOBLE forward as an organization. 

For a moment allow me to update you as to where we are in relationship to several of the goals, which I outlined during our recent conference.  As you will recall, I stated that as an organization I felt that it was important for us to focus on four programmatic goals during the year.  These are challenging times for many non-profit organizations.  That is why it is vital that we have sustainable long-term approaches to resolving issues.  In reality, our program executions generate the interest and derivative funding to sustain our organization.  The areas I outlined consisted of the following:

• Continued and increased involvement in researching strategies to address juvenile violence.
• Identifying effective proactive law enforcement strategies to combat and address domestic violence.
• Researching and identifying effective law enforcement strategies in managing offender re-entry into communities.
• Researching and aggressively identifying police excessive force issues.

For a moment allow me to update you of our progress during the past month.

• Continued and increased involvement in researching strategies to address juvenile violence.

Following the release of our initial research on this issue, we have prepared a proposal and submitted it for funding authorization to conduct a similar project this year in 10 U.S. cities, in the Mid West and along the West Coast.  We are awaiting a decision regarding this initiative, and believe that we will receive a favorable decision.  We will keep you informed as this project garners the necessary funding support.

• Identifying effective proactive law enforcement strategies to combat and address domestic violence.

Regions and Chapters have been encouraged to get out into their communities during October (National Domestic Violence Month) and educate citizens about domestic violence laws and options in their respective areas.  Further, the National Office has coordinated with our corporate partner Verizon Wireless and a 2^nd round of cell phone collections in support of the Hopeline Project will occur during October 2009.  I encourage you to get out and spread the word regarding how citizens can help their communities with this worthwhile effort.

• Researching and identifying effective law enforcement strategies in managing offender re-entry into communities.
• Researching and aggressively identifying police excessive force issues.

First Vice President Green and I will be using the William Bracey Leadership Forum, which will be held during February 20 – 21, 2009, as a platform to truly “drill into these issues.”  Our goal is to make this the most successful symposium ever as we address these critical issues.  In the interim, the National Office has been tasked with researching both issues and providing results to the symposium participants as a back drop for the discussions.  Further, the National Office has been tasked to reach out to our corporate sponsors and invite them into the discussion of best practices for hiring ex-offenders.  NOBLE has a unique voice and it is vital that our perspective on policy decisions and strategies for law enforcement officials be codified and presented as these issues are being debated.

I also want to bring you up to date on other areas that are of importance to our organization.  During the past month First Vice President Green, Executive Director Lee and I have met with several non-profit partners in our quest to bench mark where we are organizationally in comparison to other organizations.  Each engagement has allowed us to garner information that is of benefit to NOBLE, and where appropriate best practices will be implemented.  Recently, NOBLE was invited by the Office for Juvnile Justice Delinquency Program (OJJDP) to appear before their conference on underage drinking.  Director Patrick Melvin, NOBLE Second Vice President Melvin represented our organization. 

Additionally during last month, First Vice President Ernest Green represented NOBLE at a crime summit in Little Rock, AK.  We are continuing efforts to educate our membership on NOBLE’s position on a variety of topics.  As a direct result of my meeting with Chapter Presidents during the conference, the National Office recently published NOBLE’s position statements on Biased Based Policing, Community Oriented Policing and Police Brutality.  These “guiding points” should be utilized by our members when called upon in local areas to articulate NOBLE’s position on the topics.  You should also be aware that I recently asked the National Office to reach out to our CEOs identify what they perceive to be the top 5 law enforcement issues impacting their communities.   This type of tool enhances our capabilities and allows NOBLE to speak from a position of strength as policies are being formulated, and debated. 

In closing, I would like to also congratulate Ms. Von Hill for her dedicated service to NOBLE.  Ms. Hill retired following our annual conference and I along with the entire organization wish her God’s speed as she transitions to this next phase of life.  NOBLE is clearly a greater organization because of dedicated employees, such as Ms. Hill.  Well this is a little more than I anticipated, however, it is critical as leaders of this organization that we communicate with you.