From Insight to Action: Enhancing Officer Retention in Your Agency

Mr. Marvin (Ben) Haiman is an Assistant Professor and the Executive Director of Public Safety and Justice at the University of Virginia. He is also a Visiting Fellow and Research Scholar with Rutger’s University. Haiman served as the Chief of Staff for the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. between 2021 and 2024. In this capacity, Haiman oversaw daily operations of the Executive Office of the Chief of Police and was responsible for broad agency management and implementing strategic agency objectives.

Haiman was responsible for several organizational units including the Office of Communications, Office of General Counsel, Office of Wellness and the Professional Development Bureau. He served as the Executive Director of the Professional Development Bureau between 2017 – 2021, leading the Recruiting Division, Metropolitan Police Academy Division, Human Resource Management Division, Disciplinary Review Division, Testing and Assessment Division, Equal Employment Opportunity Division, Office of Communications and the Strategic Engagement Office (Volunteer Services).

Cory Howard is a Project Manager with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) specializing in officer safety and wellness and recruitment & retention. Mr. Howard currently works on one project within IACP’s portfolio, including Innovations in Recruitment, Retention, and Workforce Diversification. Prior to joining IACP, Mr. Howard served for four years as a police officer for American University’s Police Department, where he developed his interest in assisting police officers. Mr. Howard held multiple auxiliary positions with American University, including background investigator and serving on the Crisis Intervention Team.

Paige Decent is currently the Recruiting Officer for the Madison (WI) Police Department. She has been policing for over 7 years and has served in a variety of roles. Most recently Paige became the department’s first full time Recruiting Officer in late 2023 and previously was on the recruiting cadre part time. Prior to becoming a recruiting officer, she was an FTO, background investigator and mental health liaison. Paige is certified to instruct in PCS, Vehicle Contacts and EVOC. She is the internship coordinator and also holds a seat as the chair of the mentor program. Paige received her Bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh with a major in criminal justice and minor in social justice with an emphasis on prejudice and discrimination. Outside of work Paige enjoys reading, recreational sports and spending time with her family and is looking forward to welcoming her second child in the middle of September!

Sean Hollearn serves as the Rapid City Police Department Wellness Coordinator. As a certified Exercise Physiologist and Holistic Lifestyle Coach, he leads initiatives supporting health, wellness, and fitness through programs such as peer support, mentorship, fitness challenges, therapy dog visits, and a host of other benefits to promote a healthier and more resilient team.

Theresa Magyera is currently the Sergeant of Training and Recruiting at the Madison (WI) Police Department. She has been in policing for over 18 years. Theresa is a Defense and Arrest Tactics, Vehicle Contacts, Professional Communications and Fitness Instructor. She also supervises background investigations and is a part of the hiring process at MPD. In 2022, Theresa was invited to speak at the November 30x30 webinar on her efforts to recruit and retain women in policing.

She has presented multiple times on the Madison Method of recruiting, as MPD has a 28% female commissioned workforce. Theresa has her Bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University in Sociology and her Master’s degree from the University of Texas – Arlington in Criminal Justice and Criminology. In her free time, she loves to go thrift shopping, workout, and spending time with her family.