LSM Class Briefed on So. Md.'s Emergency Services, Law Enforcement

LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Jan. 26, 2016)—On Thursday, January 14, the Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) Class of 2016 participated in the third 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, and then a tour 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. Training at the facility that day was the Naval District Washington's newly hired firefighters. The tour of the training center was led by its coordinator Dan Stevens, and by Tom Mattingly, Sr. and Gerald Gardiner LSM '15, both long-time volunteers with the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department.

The class then toured the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy in Nanjemoy, Maryland, where the region's law enforcement officers are trained and certified. Keith Hicks, director of the academy, gave an in-depth tour that included an opportunity to try the crime scene pursuit simulator. A lunch panel discussion at the Port Tobacco Marina Restaurant with Sheriff Mike Evans (Calvert), Sheriff Troy Berry (Charles), Sheriff Tim Cameron (St. Mary's) and Police Chief Carl Schinner (Town of La Plata) 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 class met at the La Plata campus of the College of Southern Maryland for an afternoon 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 Brig. Gen. Tim Gowen LSM '15 (Commander, 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 240 strong, as well as Leadership Maryland alumni living in the Southern Maryland region.

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 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.