Rotary President Jack Kearney thanks Dr. Richard Williams, Sr., from the Denton Police Department for his presentation of the ABLE Program.
Karen McDaniels
On Aug. 19, Dr. Richard Williams, Sr., who leads the Denton Police Department’s Executive Team for Accreditation and Compliance, detailed the ABLE Project (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement).
Formerly with the New Orleans Police Department, Dr. Williams was a member of the team that designed the Ethical Policing Is Courageous (EPIC) program. Out of EPIC grew the ABLE Project, in partnership with Georgetown University Law School. ABLE is now a nationally recognized program that any police department can apply for.
To receive ABLE national certification, a police department must have successfully trained their entire department in 10 specific areas of action. One hundred percent of the Denton Police Department has received ABLE training, which is based on three Pillars:
1. Prevent harm to civilians,
2. Prevent harm to officers, and
3. Promote officer health and wellness.
In Texas, certification training is conducted at the UT Dallas Caruth Police Institute. Dr. Williams is an ABLE instructor there.
It is important that all Denton residents know that our police department is ABLE trained and that officers support the program and each other every day when they are in our community keeping us safe. Their ABLE training gives them tools to improve both citizen and officer safety, health, and well-being. Please share this information with your neighbors and friends.
Pilot Knob Rotary Club meets Fridays at 11:45 a.m. in the Boardroom of the Wildhorse Grill at Robson Ranch. If you are interested in learning more about Rotary, please contact Jack Kearney at [email protected] or visit our website, www.pilotknobrotary.com.