Police Chiefs Association of Will County hosts the First Administrative Professionals Huddle

Annually the Police Chiefs Association of Will County (PCAWC) invites law enforcement administrative professionals to the April monthly meeting and luncheon, to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day which falls on April 26, 2023. This year the executive board wanted to highlight administrative staff even more by hosting the first PCAWC Administrative Professional Huddle. The Huddle is meant to gather law enforcement administrative professionals to create a networking opportunity and provide future staff training. The event highlighted continuing education from Joliet Junior College (JJC) and memberships to the Law Enforcement Records Managers of Illinois and Illinois Law Enforcement Administrative Professionals. The Executive Board’s goal is to make this an annual event and include training at future events that is voted on by participants.

Illinois State Police, Captain David Keltner, President of the Police Chiefs Association of Will County commented “All police executives know that our administrative professionals enable the successful operations of our departments to continue to operate fluently. The PCAWC Administrative Huddle is just one way we can say thanks for everyone’s efforts throughout the year. The general public may not know of the important roles of our administrative professionals but we as police executives know they are the heart and soul of our operations.”

Information gathered this year from the JJC Continuing Education section: Want to learn a new skill, looking for professional development, lifelong learning classes, career training, or need a refresher? Or maybe you are just looking for something fun to do. Joliet Junior College offers several options for continuing education along with its vast certificate and associate degree programs. JJC’s contract training will be a perfect fit for future Huddles, as the PCAWC can cater to the participant’s specific training requests.

One of this year’s attendees, Forest Preserve District of Will County Police Department, Administrative Assistant Nicole Veerman commented “Being offered this experience by the PCAWC gives me the rare opportunity to meet and exchange information with fellow administrative staff specifically in Will County. I am grateful for the chance to participate and am excited to see the Huddle grow in future years. Making training accessible to local administrators, and a nice lunch after does make one feel appreciated!”

Memberships for administrative professionals include both LERMI and ILEAP. Law Enforcement Records Managers of Illinois (LERMI) is a non-profit organization formed to enhance the effectiveness and consistency of Law Enforcement Records Management by providing an information-sharing network of public body personnel.  LERMI is dedicated to the exchanging of ideas, processes, and techniques; providing a forum for interaction and improving communications between public body personnel across Illinois. 

The Illinois Law Enforcement Administrative Professionals (Illinois LEAP) was created to provide an environment for law enforcement administrative professionals to share data and knowledge that will enhance our organizations, our professional goals, and our continuing education. Membership in Illinois LEAP is open to all administrative professionals, Chiefs of Police, and administrative support personnel holding other titles employed in a similar capacity in a policing agency in the State of Illinois.

National Administrative Professionals’ Day, also known as Secretaries Day or Admin Day, recognizes the professionals who keep an office running smoothly every day. Celebrate these professionals on the Wednesday of the last full week in April of each year. The day recognizes the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals. Central to any business, these professionals keep an office organized and efficient.