Editor’s note: Are you a Full or Life Member of APCO International? Then you should know that voting for the 2012-13 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents begins this Wednesday. Go to www.apcointl.org for voting details. This year, two individuals have opted to run for the position of 2nd Vice President of APCO International, giving members a choice to make. Below, you’ll find introductions to the two candidates: Brent Lee and John Wright.

Vote now.

Introducing Brent Lee

Brent Lee

For those of you who don’t know me, please allow me this opportunity to tell you about myself. I am a former telecommunicator and a retired police officer. I had the privilege of serving the citizens of Sparks, Nev., for 30 years. You may ask why that qualifies me for the office of 2nd Vice President of APCO International. I started with the Sparks Police Department as one of its original Police Explorers in 1971. I was offered a full-time position as a dispatcher in September 1974. Back in those days, there was only one dispatcher working per shift so I “did it all.”

I continued as a dispatcher until June 1977 when I was offered a position as a sworn officer. Over the next 15 years or so, I worked in just about all sections of the department and was promoted up through the ranks. In the early 1990s I found myself back in the comm center as the supervisor. Once in the position, I rediscovered just how much I enjoyed the communications aspects of the department.

During that time frame, the department had managed the conversion from the card and written log operation to its first CAD system. In addition, the city had just purchased an 800 MHz trunked radio system. Needless to say, there were a number of challenges facing me. However, being in position afforded me the opportunity to become extremely knowledgeable about all the technology related to the department’s communications functions. As a result, I was involved in writing numerous RFPs for radio, mobile computing, dispatch consoles and E9-1-1 telephone systems.

I also was appointed to the Washoe County E9-1-1 Advisory board and chaired it for two different terms. This Board oversaw the surcharge funds to support the three PSAPs in the county. Even after being promoted again in 1997 and transferred to another division, I remained on that Board and continued to be involved in all of the department’s communications needs.

During the last few years of my career, I served as an acting deputy chief in charge of the Operations Division. This position was responsible for some 100 officers and the associated budget to support them. Additionally, I was fortunate to be selected to attend, and graduate from, the prestigious FBI National Academy.

I have been an APCO member for approximately 18 years. During that time I have held the Office of Nevada Chapter 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President, President and Executive Council Representative. Most recently I served as the Executive Council Representative for five years. I am a Nevada Chapter Life Member as well as an APCO Inter­national Life Member.

I have had the opportunity to serve as APCO International’s co-chair of the National Joint TERT Initiative for the past five years. As a result of that work, I received an APCO Presidential Award and a NENA Presidential Award.

Additionally, I was appointed to represent APCO on the working group that created the Type III Regional COML (Communications Unit Leader). I was tasked with ensuring that our membership was included in this new position. For those of you who are not aware, this group of individuals originally held steadfast that a Type III COML had to be a sworn police officer or firefighter. I am very proud to say that eventually I was able to convince them that if a comm center employee or technician possessed the leadership skills and had received the prerequisite training, there was no compelling reason they should not be eligible to become a COML. I am aware that many of our members have taken the opportunity to become Type III COMLs recently.

In 1999, the Nevada Chapter was selected to host the 2003 Western Region Conference, and I volunteered to be the conference chair. The theme for the conference was “Communications, the Heart of Public Safety,” which truly states how I personally feel about our organization and its membership. Our Chapter also hosted APCO International’s Annual Conference in 2009, during which I was the “local flavor chair.”

This is just a sample of my past APCO activity, but you can see I have been very involved in public safety communications, not only in my professional career but also through dedication to APCO International. Although retired, I have remained active in the organization and still have the desire and passion to further our organization’s objectives and initiatives. I am asking for your support in my endeavor to become your next APCO International 2nd Vice President.

–Brent Lee, Nevada Chapter

Introducing John Wright

John Wright

My name is John Wright, and I am running for the office of 2nd Vice President of APCO International for the 2012–2013 term. As you may know, I had previously submitted my name and was approved by the APCO Credentials Committee to run for the vacant 2011–2012 term to which our current 2nd Vice President Gigi Smith was eventually appointed. As an APCO Senior and Life Member with nearly 25 years of service to the Association, and with the encouragement and full support of my Chapter (Southern California), I am  running for the office this year. If elected, I feel that I would be a great asset to the association and its members in this critical leadership role.

I am recently retired from the city of Riverside Police Department after 39 years of public service and now volunteer with the department, continuing work on several communications projects—including narrowbanding and implementation of a regional interoperability project—that were initiated before I retired. My retirement will allow me to serve APCO full time if I am elected.

I continue to be very active in my participation and service to APCO. I am an APCO AFC Local Frequency Advisor, vice chair of the APCO Spectrum Management Committee and chair the APCO Technician Certification/Testing Review Sub-Committee. I am an active member of the Region 5 700 MHz and 800 MHz Planning committees. I serve the Southern California (CPRA) Chapter as its treasurer and have served as chapter president, director, sergeant-at-arms, and Operations Committee chair. I have been a member of the CPRA Annual Telecommunicators Awards Committee for the past 20 years. I was a member of the original committee that successfully lobbied for the creation of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, which officially recognizes the dedication and professionalism of my fellow telecommunicators.

I have supported multiple APCO activities in the past, including serving two terms as chair of the APCO Telecommunications Management Committee, member of the APCO 9-1-1 Emerging Technologies Committee and member of the APCO Communications Center Practices Task Force. I have worked on several APCO Projects, served as program chair of the 2011 APCO Western States Regional Conference, finance chair of the 2007 APCO Western States Regional Conference, finance chair of the 2006 APCO California State Training Conference, general arrangements chair of the 1999 APCO Western States Regional Conference, and now serve as chair of the 2013 APCO International Conference & Exposition to be held in Anaheim, Calif.

As a middle manager for a city with a population of more than 300,000, I believe I have the proven management skills, education—a degree in business management—and experience necessary to support the operations and leadership of the association. I have managed a $4.5 million to $5 million annual budget for the communications division, directly managed more than 75 employees and support/service personnel, worked as project manager on several local and regional interoperability projects, participated in contract negotiations, and successfully acquired UASI and COPS grant funds for multiple projects, including a $1 million regional inter­operability project. Having worked 11 years for the fire department as a fire dispatcher and then as a firefighter, before working 28 years for the police department, gives me the unique insight into the critical and significantly different operations of the fire service and law enforcement. Working as a combined police/fire 9-1-1 PSAP EMD-certified dispatcher, PSAP supervisor and interim communications division manager gives me the operational experience to fully understand the support, equipment and specialized training needed by our professional telecommunicators and 9-1-1 centers. My technical training and experience as a communications systems analyst give me the necessary skills to properly participate in and provide leadership on the current and coming complex technical issues the association supports, and must continue to be a leader in, both nationally and worldwide.

My vision for the future of our association is that APCO will continue to expand the role of the APCO Institute to provide additional courses with technical certifications and training for telecommunicators, RF technicians and IT professionals, develop targeted management courses for first line and middle managers, and become the nationally recognized certification body for these fields. APCO should continue work in the APCO Project series with an eye to the future, providing national leadership on critical issues and driving development of new technologies for public safety. APCO must continue to be a leader in the development of the D Block for public safety and the National Public Safety Broadband Network, establishing nationally adopted standards for development, deployment and operation. APCO should continue to be the leader in providing quality engineering and FCC licensing services through the AFC. And importantly, APCO must continue to expand its influence and presence in Washington, D.C., explore our common interests and expand our global influence through new partnerships with Mexico and Latin America, and be the recognized leader in public safety communications worldwide.

I, therefore, am asking for your support to allow me to serve you as APCO’s 2nd Vice President.

—John Wright, Southern California (CPRA) Chapter