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President’s Message – August

August 7, 2024

Some refer to mid-August as the “Dog Days of Summer”, those hot sultry days where not much gets done. That cannot be said for the Canadian Police Knowledge Network (CPKN).

The staff, Board, and National Advisory Committee (NAC) are all flat out (with some well-deserved vacation time mixed in).

Here is an overview of what is happening:

By the time this newsletter gets out, the search for the next President of CPKN will be close to complete. An amazing number of highly qualified candidates threw their hats in the ring and after a difficult vetting process only a few were selected for interviews. There is a strong possibility the successful candidate will be in place at the Stanhope Conference in September. This will be a fantastic opportunity for the new President to engage with the Network firsthand.

Speaking of which, Stanhope is two months away. Paul Hebert, Chair, NAC, and the entire NAC have been in the depths of planning. The program is shaping up nicely and the registrations are rolling in. It is going to be a great few days of discussion and development, with a celebration of the 20th anniversary of CPKN as an added bonus.

Another activity that has been on-going since April is an update to the strategic plan. The Board of Directors, NAC, and CPKN staff have been meeting with a consultant these past few months to formulate a draft. This draft will then be approved by the Board. It promises to be more of a refresh than a reboot, but also has an aspirational tone not seen in previous plans as we collectively plot the next three to five years of the Network. The new plan should be signed off by the Board in early October.

There is much more going on, as you will see in this newsletter. The other initiative of note I will point out is the recent signing of a strategic alliance between CPKN and Community Safety Knowledge Alliance (CSKA). This melding of two like-minded but different groups have many synergistic benefits. Keep an eye on this.

…and enjoy the “Dog Days of Summer.” They are fleeting!