Greetings! First of all, I'd like to acknowledge a new member to the Region, as well as several others who have renewed their memberships. I received the updated list following my most recent blog posting.
Welcome to new member, Officer Arline Gilmore from the San Francisco Police Department, as well as to the following who have renewed their memberships:
Officer Marquita Booth, San Francisco Police Department
Inspector Madeline Schatz, DHS-TSA in Las Vegas, Nevada
Lieutenant Nina Jamsen, San Bernadino County Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Daphine Bates, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office
Chief Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department
I'd like to also take this time to thank Chief Beck for his continued support of the IAWP. It is SO important for the leadership in our law enforcement organizations to be aware of the IAWP, and the resources, networking, training, and support that are available to the women AND men in their organizations by becoming members. Your support is VERY much appreciated! I encourage everyone to print off a membership application from the IAWP website at www.iawp.org and forward it to your Chiefs and Sheriffs, encouraging them to join, and to pass the information onto the women in their organizations. They won't have an opportunity to support the IAWP or encourage the women in their organizations to join if they don't know we exist.
For those of you who were able to attend the past 2 IAWP Conferences, you likely met Louann from LouKa Tactical Training. LouKa Tactical Training is a woman owned, Michigan-based performance improvement public safety consulting and training group, who specializes in customizing training for your agencies, particularly in the area of training specialty units. Their mission states that they "exist for the sole purpose of assisting public safety agencies in improving their overall performance by introducing innovative, functional and reality-based training solutions for their organization." Check out their website at www.loukatactical.com for more information on the company and their training schedule, or contact Louann directly at 734-260-2975 or by e-mail at louannblackwidow@aol.com or louann@loukatactical.com. Thanks for your continued support of the IAWP, Louann!
Louann has also developed the most AWESOME long and short sleeved t-shirts that I've seen in a long time called Warrior Women. The shirts have a large, overlapping WW at the top of the back of the shirt, followed with the initials/spelling of Warrior going down the back of the shirt, with the initials of Warrior highlighted in black. Next to each letter are the following:
Well trained
Able
Ready
Resilient
Independent
On target
Resourceful
She describes the Warrior Women concept as philosophical, not occupational. "The Warrior Women idea is about whom women are rather than what they are. Although they do exist in the public safety profession and on battlefields, they also exist on athletic fields, in boardrooms, courtrooms, classrooms, operating rooms and in our homes. Warrior Women are those women who make a conscious decision to take control over their environment and create positive futures for themselves and their loved ones. They are survivors of illness, poverty, abuse, and personal loss. They are strong and independent and are willing to fight for their principals regardless of the outcome. Warrior Women are high spirited. They choose excellence over mediocrity and take a leadership role in mentoring others to do the same. They are resilient during setbacks and view adversity as opportunities. Women become Warrior Women by choice and by God's design . . ."
You can access additional information about Warrior Women through the above website through LouKa Tactical Training, or by going to www.thewarriorwomen.us/.
Until next time, stay safe!
