Leading with Integrity: Navigating Political Environments to Ensure Effective Leadership and Community Safety

Chris Davis was sworn in as the Chief of the Green Bay Police Department on September 16, 2021. Chief Davis began his policing career at the Arizona State University Police Department in 1994. In 1998, he joined the Portland, Oregon Police Bureau, where he served in a variety of roles including the Assistant Chief of Services, Assistant Chief of Operations, and Deputy Chief of Police.

Chief Davis has a Bachelor’s Degree in Justice Studies and a Master’s Degree in Public Safety Leadership and Administration from Arizona State University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Major Cities Chiefs Association’s Police Executive Leadership Institute.

Charles H. Ramsey brings over fifty years of knowledge, experience, and service in advancing the law enforcement profession in three different major city police departments, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia.

He is the Past President of the Police Executive Research Forum and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. He has received the Leadership Award from 3 major law enforcement organizations; the FBI National Executive Institute, Police Executive Research Forum, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. In 2014, President Barrack Obama chose Commissioner Ramsey to co-chair the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. He is the Principal Deputy Monitor for the Federal Consent Decree in Baltimore and is a Founding Partner in the consulting firm 21st Century Policing Solutions, LLC.

In 1999, Commissioner Ramsey partnered with the Anti-Defamation League and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in developing an innovative training program called "Law Enforcement and Society: Lessons from the Holocaust. As President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, he co-founded the Police Executive Leadership Institute (PELI).

Edward Medrano serves as a Senior Advisor for Public Safety and Security at the States United Democracy Center. Before joining SUDC, he worked as a Constitutional Policing Advisor for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and held the position of Director of Safety and Security for the Los Angeles Community College District.

Mr. Medrano's professional career encompasses serving as the Chief of the Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) for the California Department of Justice and spans over thirty years of dedicated public service. This includes eleven years in the role of Police Chief and two years as a City Manager. Mr. Medrano has held prominent leadership positions, such as President of the California Police Chiefs Association and the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association. Additionally, he has served as a board member of the Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC) Fusion Center and has served as a Commissioner for the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (CA POST). 

Governor Katie Hobbs appointed Colonel Jeffrey D. Glover Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety on January 17, 2023. Colonel Glover began his law enforcement career in 1998 and has 27 years of law enforcement experience. 

Colonel Glover places an emphasis on community involvement and education, providing instruction on various topics such as leadership, ethics and professionalism, team dynamics, fair and impartial policing, health and wellness, and safety through communications training.

Colonel Glover is the Immediate Past President for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). He is a National Board Member for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Colonel Glover also serves on the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Board of Directors, as well as the IACP Crime Prevention Committee.

He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Northern Arizona University and a Master’s in Public Administration through the University of Phoenix. Colonel Glover is an FBI National Academy Session 265 graduate and the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) Session 86.

Chief Roberto A. Villaseñor (Ret.) dedicated over 35 years to the Tucson Police Department, serving as Chief from 2009 to 2015. He worked in nearly every division, and held supervisory/command roles in Patrol, SWAT/Hostage, Narcotics, Internal Affairs, and Communications. As an  Assistant Chief, he commanded all four departmental bureaus and served as the Union Liaison, dealing with all manner of personnel and contract issues. His leadership extended to state and national boards, including Chairman of Arizona HIDTA, President of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police, member of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Exec. Board of PERF, and a member of the President's National Task Force on 21st Century Policing, appointed by President Obama.

A recipient of numerous awards, including the NAACP’s “Pursuing Liberty in the Face of Injustice” and Arizona Public Servant of the Year in 2015, he holds a B.S. from Park University and an M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University. Post-retirement, he co-founded 21st Century Policing Solutions, LLC, providing consultancy services nationwide and serving on monitoring teams for high-profile consent decrees.

Dawanna S. Witt was sworn in as Hennepin County Sheriff on January 3, 2023. She is the first woman and person of color to hold the office. Sheriff Witt has been in law enforcement for 24 years. She started her career in 2000 as a detention deputy in Hennepin County. In 2004, she became a licensed peace officer and was hired by the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office. There, she worked many roles including bailiff, transport, school resource officer, detective, crisis negotiator, recruitment coordinator, diversity and inclusion coordinator, and more. She was the first woman in the agency’s history to become a captain. In 2019, Sheriff Witt returned to HCSO to take charge of the agency’s largest bureau, Adult Detention and Court Services, and was elected as Sheriff in 2022. She holds undergraduate degrees in Chemical Dependency & Family Therapy and Police Science, and dual master’s degrees in Public Safety Administration and Management. She is an adjunct professor at Inver Hills Community College, teaching Juvenile Justice and American Corrections.