Meet the LEADS Scholarship Recipients

Lieutenant Mike Thomas is a 16-year veteran of the Norfolk Police Department and the current Officer in Charge of the department’s Special Crimes Unit.  Currently, Lt. Thomas sits on several multi-disciplinary teams including the Norfolk Criminal Justice System’s Evidence Based Decision Making Group, Norfolk Police Department Evidence Based Decision Making Group, Norfolk Sexual Assault and Domestic Assault Response Team, and the Norfolk Family Justice Center Workgroup. Lt. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo University, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo University, and is a Doctoral Candidate at Regent University studying Organizational Leadership and Human Resource Development. Lt. Thomas is an instructor for IACP’s Leadership in Police Organizations course and is a Trilogy Award recipient after attending FBI-LEEDA’s Supervisor Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute, and Executive Leadership Institute. He has conducted multiple research projects within the Norfolk Police Department related to servant leadership, emotional intelligence, police leader burnout, and learning organizations. Working with the LEADS program, Lt. Thomas hopes to learn how to use evidence-based research methods to improve organizational climate and leadership.

Commander Chris Vallejo is a strategic and innovative Senior Law Enforcement Official and 29-year veteran of the Austin Police Department and the currently an Investigations Commander.

Commander Vallejo holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science with specializations in constitutional law and political science. He is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institution for Police Leadership School and has completed advanced coursework and training in evidenced-based policing and executive leadership.

He was awarded a prestigious NIJ LEADS Scholar fellowship, dedicated to supporting police leaders in their use of research and science to inform policy and practice, and has extensive experience delivering operational, investigative, and administrative leadership at the line, supervisory and command levels. A recognized community leader, Chris has fostered long-lasting trust and accountability through countless partnerships with local community organizations and national educational institutions dedicated to reform, racial equality, and justice.

Commander Vallejo is a National Policing Institute Executive Policing Fellow, delivering counsel and direction to the NPF on contemporary issues in policing. He is a nationally recognized advocate for police reform through 21st-century policing principles, evidence-based community policing strategies, and collaboration, serving as a volunteer board member for the Texas Justice Institute.

In partnership with Texas State University and the National Policing Institute, Commander Vallejo has conducted occupational stress research to support the APD’s wellness initiatives and ensure performance management and optimal health of his officers and command. He has received notable commendations and awards for his police service and leadership including the Meritorious Unit Citation, and Superior Service Citation, and is a two-time recipient of the Patrol Unit of the Year Award.

Evidence-based policing with a focus on 21st-century policing principles, integrity, and community partnership is Commander Vallejo’s leadership philosophy and focus to support the City of Austin, and the diverse communities that it serves.

Paige Valenta is an Assistant Chief with the City of Madison Police Department in Madison, Wisconsin. Currently, she oversees Investigative and Specialized Services. Throughout her +25 year policing career at the Madison Police Department she has worked in a variety of assignments, including operations assistant chief, district captain, detective lieutenant, patrol sergeant, detective, SWAT operator, and patrol officer. She has a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University.

Superintendent of Public Safety, City of Gresham, Gresham, Oregon Superintendent Falls has served in law enforcement since 1998 and is responsible for the oversight of all public safety for the City of Gresham. His duties include implementing evidence-based, data-driven strategies to improve service delivery for police and fire. As a former sheriff and deputy police chief, he has extensive public safety leadership experience. Corey has a post master's degree in Business, a M.A. in Organizational Management, and a B.S. in Health. Corey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and PERF's Senior Management Institute for Police.

Paul Ladouceur is the Chief of Police with the Estevan Police Service, which was the first Saskatchewan-based department to join the Canadian Society of Evidence-Based Policing (CAN-SEBP). Paul is a recent master's graduate and was a keynote speaker at a recent CAN-SEBP event in Saskatoon to discuss his work and views on evidence-based policing and why his own service has adopted this approach.

Rich Johnston recently began a partnership with BetaGov to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in the Barrie Police Service, making it one of the first agencies in Canada to run its own RCT. Rich's efforts were integral in expanding the LEADS program internationally. He holds a master's in leadership studies from the University of Guelph.

C. Daniel Wagner has served the City of Cambridge, MA as a police officer since 1998. He currently holds the rank of Deputy Superintendent and is the Commanding Officer of the Procedural Justice Section, where he leads the Crime Analysis Unit and the Office of Rights and Liberties--a new unit to ensure the Department adheres to the principles of procedural justice and legitimacy as well as fair and impartial policing. Deputy Superintendent Wagner works with passion to reduce crime and social harm, improve police-community relations, and advance policing. He has applied his keen interest in research, data-analytics, and community policing to develop successful crime prevention strategies. He is the founding vice president of the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing, serves on the Bureau of Justice Assistance Criminal Justice Technology Forecasting Group, and is a Policing Fellow at the Police Foundation in Washington DC. He holds a Master's in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Officer Bonkiewicz is a police officer with 10 years of experience in patrol, recruitment, pre-employment interviewing, and background investigations, as well as quantitative research methods and data analysis. He has analyzed data on racial disparities in traffic stops, driver's license suspension programs, gang intervention initiatives, assault on officer incidents, and use of control incidents. He has also published peer-reviewed research on patrol officer productivity, police response to mental health calls for service, violence in drug markets, and the role of police in disasters and evacuations. Currently assigned to LPD's Management Services Unit, Officer Bonkiewicz writes LPD's grants, assists with CALEA accreditation, identifies and develops evidence-based policies and practices, and coordinates research projects involving LPD's academic partners.

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Major David Dalton has nearly 25 years of law enforcement experience with both the Auburndale (Florida) Police Department and the Clearwater Police Department. He began his career with the Clearwater Police Department in 1996 and is currently assigned as the Support Services Division Commander, with oversight of numerous functions including: personnel, training, budget/fiscal management, property/evidence, and communications. Major Dalton possesses extensive experience in investigations, training, recruitment, policy development, accreditation, community/neighborhood policing, and technology implementation. Major Dalton has been recognized for his commitment to research driven principles, civic engagement, and community partnerships. He maintains strong relationships with research institutions, including the University of South Florida, Department of Criminology. Major Dalton holds both a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a master's degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of South Florida.

Stan is responsible for the Strategic Planning and Analytics Reporting branch of the Durham Regional Police Service, which includes oversight of the department's in-service training. He has worked for two of Ontario's larger police services and has expertise across a broad range of policing issues. He is working towards his doctorate in Policing and Security at Charles Sturt University and holds a bachelor's from St. Francis Xavier University and an MBA from Queen's University. He is an executive member of the Canadian Society of Evidence-Based Policing (CAN-SEBP).

Chief Jason Bruder has served the City of Charleston since 2002. He recently worked with City Council and the Mayor's Office to complete an external audit of police racial bias. He previously commanded the West Ashley Patrol Team and supervised the Field Intelligence Unit and School Security Response Teams. Lieutenant Bruder also works on numerous process improvements to ensure quality and efficient work by officers. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer science, a master's degree in homeland security management from Long Island University, and is a graduate of the 62nd session of the Administrative Officers Management Program at North Carolina State University. Chief Bruder completed the FBI’s National Academy, 279th session.  Working with LEADS, he hopes to improve the use of police data to improve patrol strategies and officer training.

Sergeant Matthew Barter has been with the Manchester Police Department for 10 years and is currently assigned to the patrol division. He was previously a Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Crime Analyst with the Crime Analysis Unit. Detective Barter has implemented numerous evidence-based policing practices within the agency, to include a data-driven hotspot policing concept and violent crime reduction initiatives. Recently, Detective Barter worked to integrate National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) technology and gun crime intelligence into strategic planning processes with law enforcement partners. He holds a master's degree and bachelor's degree in criminal justice and is interested in pursuing research regarding police patrol patterns as well as place-based crime. Detective Barter also serves as a SWAT Officer and leads the Tactical Emergency Medical Support Unit.

Deputy Inspector Tara Calabro has proudly served as a police officer with the New York City Police Department for 19 years. She currently serves as the Commanding Officer of the Enterprise Risk Management Division in the Professional Standards Bureau. She has previously managed and supported collaborative research projects and data analysis to inform policy recommendations, initiatives and program development under the Chief of Strategic Initiatives. During her tenure with the NYPD, Deputy Inspector Calabro has held patrol assignments, supervised a precinct crime analysis unit, worked as an analyst for the Real Time Crime Center, and lead the Information Technology Bureau's Program Management Office.

Lieutenant Emma O'Flanagan is a 12-year veteran of the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD), and has served in various positions throughout the police department. Lieutenant O'Flanagan is currently assigned to the Professional Standards Division, responsible for research and planning, training, compliance, accreditation, policy development, internal affairs investigations, and crime analysis. Lieutenant O'Flanagan holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University and is a recent graduate of the NJSACOP Command and Leadership Academy. Lieutenant O'Flanagan has a wide variety of research interests including practical applications of data analysis, officer wellness, hiring and retention of officers, PTSD, and women in law enforcement.

Deputy Chief Ortiz has served the Glen Cove, New York community for the past 19 years, beginning as a patrol officer and rising through the ranks to Deputy Chief. Currently, he oversees multiple aspects of department operations, including grant procurement, patrol operations, investigations, professional standards, training, data analysis and policy. Chris earned a bachelor's degree in criminology from John Jay College, a master's degree in criminal justice administration from Long Island University, and a doctorate in criminal justice policy analysis from the City University of New York Graduate Center/John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Deputy Chief Ortiz has served as a research investigator on several NIJ projects and has published numerous scholarly articles on police practices. He has also served as a subject matter expert and provided technical assistance to several police agencies on a variety of policing subjects. Deputy Chief Ortiz is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and PERF's Senior Management Institute in Policing.

Tim Donohoe retired from the Reno Police Department after serving for 25 years. While with the department, he implemented an evidence-based approach to a multi-phased gun violence reduction strategy; a strategy which combined community outreach, focused deterrence, and problem-oriented policing approaches. Tim has worked on international police reform projects with the U.S. Department of Justice, International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program, serving as the Mission Advisor in the Republic of Armenia and as a Senior Law Enforcement Advisor in Ukraine.

Tim currently works as a Senior Consultant with a Government Consulting Firm and is an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno in the Department of Criminal Justice. Tim has a master’s degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Lieutenant Glendaly Garcia is a Hartford native who has proudly served with the Hartford Police Department for 19 years. She currently commands the Investigative Services Bureau's Crime Scene Division, which consists of the Crime Scene Unit, Fatality Accident Reconstruction Team, and Identification Unit. Previously, she was commander of the Major Crimes Division. Throughout her career, she has served in various capacities, serving as Chief of Staff and Public Information Officer, and supervising the Background Investigation Unit, Pistol Permit Unit, Domestic Violence Unit, Quality of Life Unit, Auxiliary Services Division, and Patrol. She has a master's in public policy law and government from Trinity College and a Bachelor of Science in health care (emphasis in respiratory care) from the University of Hartford. She is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute of Police (SMIP) Session 60, the Southern Police Institute's 137th Administrative Officers Course, and the City of Hartford Middle Management Institute. Lieutenant Garcia is committed to fostering an environment where scientific and technological creativity can contribute to Hartford becoming a leading place to live and work. With the backlogs of evidence in crime labs crippling investigative efforts to successfully apprehend, prosecute, and convict people accused of committing offenses, she believes forensic science needs to be acknowledged as the pivot of crime prevention and criminal investigations. Having served as a Crime Scene Detective and now leading command of the Crimes Scene Unit, she is committed to developing and implementing innovative solutions that will improve current practices in processing crime scenes.

Captain Jonas Baughman is an 18-year veteran of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (KCPD). A native of the Kansas City area, Captain Baughman joined the KCPD after obtaining a B.A. in psychology from Creighton University. He has held assignments in patrol, investigations, administration, and crime/intelligence analysis during his tenure. Captain Baughman quickly found crime analysis to be his professional passion early in his career with more than half of his career having been in positions related to crime or intelligence analysis. He created and supervised the KCPD's first Real-time Crime Center team, directed a squad of detectives tasked with gang intelligence, and worked in the Office of the Chief of Police providing strategic analysis and other metrics for executive staff.  Captain Baughman is currently assigned to the Fiscal Division within the Executive Services Bureau.

Captain Baughman's primary interests include spatial analysis and predictive policing, as well as data mining and data visualization. He is also interested in building upon his background in psychology through exploration of wellness programs for America's law enforcement officers and their families. Captain Baughman feels there is much to be learned by working with international police departments, allowing law enforcement agencies to leverage best practices from across the globe. He looks forward to networking with and learning from others within the LEADS program, and hopes this will ultimately make communities across America, including Kansas City, safer places to call home.

Lieutenant Aimee Haley was sworn in with the Columbus Division of Police in 1997 and has served as the division's accreditation manager since 2011. In this role she has been responsible for overseeing nearly every policy and publication of the largest municipal police department in the state of Ohio. Comparing those policies with others around the nation and the world has equipped her to identify progressing trends and best practices in law enforcement. She is responsible for quickly evaluating and assessing processes and systems to efficiently ensure continuous improvement of her agency. As the current president of the State of Ohio Accreditation Resource Coalition (SOAR), and assessor for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA), Lieutenant Haley knows the value of a professional peer network and anticipates growing that network both in depth and breadth through her participation in the LEADS program.

The KHN Police and Security Department has over 100 sworn police officers and 45 security/civilian employees and provides police and security services to 13 hospitals and medical facilities in a six-county region in southwest Ohio. Chief DePew is a graduate of the 264th class of the FBI National Academy, the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) Certified Law Enforcement Executive program, the OACP's Police Executive Leadership College, and the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Chief DePew holds a bachelor's in criminal justice from Ohio University, a master's in criminal justice administration from Miami University, and is currently working on his MBA from Louisiana State University. Chief DePew is also an adjunct professor at Sinclair Community College. He has previously conducted research on drug overdose data collection methods and is currently part of a team researching cardiovascular disease risk factors in police officers. As a LEADS scholar, Chief DePew is honored to have the opportunity to work with other scholars and contribute to research to aid the advancement of the criminal justice field.

Stuart Greer is a Captain with the Morristown (NJ) Bureau of Police and serves as the Commanding Officer of the Administrative Division. In this role, his responsibilities include research & planning, data analysis, compstat, police training, social media, police records, and public information. He is a co-founder and board member of the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing and has served as a LEADS Scholar at the National Institute of Justice where he contributed to the advancement of research in the development of policing tactics and strategies.

Captain Greer is a certified instructor with the New Jersey Police Training Commission and teaches both recruit and in-service classes.  He is an executive Policing Fellow at the Police Foundation in Washington, D.C. and has worked on projects designed to meet the goal of advancing Policing through innovation and science.  He has served as a faculty instructor with the Virginia Center for Policing Innovation teaching Police Commanders evidence-based approaches to reducing homicide and gun violence. 

He received a B.A. in Justice Studies from the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, N.J., a Master of Studies (MSt) in Applied Criminology and Police Management at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and an Executive Master of Public Administrator program at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.

Edward Tjaden began his position as Chief of Police at the York Police Department in October of 2017. Prior to that, he spent the previous 18 years with the Gering Nebraska and Alliance Nebraska Police Departments, where he served as an officer, sergeant, instructor, narcotics investigator in a multi-jurisdictional High Intensity Drug Traffic Area task force, and Lieutenant/Operations Commander. He is a 2016 graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command and obtained his bachelor's in criminal justice administration in 2017. His experiences exemplify the "jack of all trades" description often found in rural law enforcement, including patrol, investigations, instruction, drafting and implementing policy, conducting forensic child interviews, planning large, high-risk events, supervising hiring processes, supervising training, and writing and administering grants. He has focused his studies on expanding the understanding that rural law enforcement officers, leaders, and agencies face both unique and typical policing challenges, and believes in addressing those challenges with a combination of academic and practical efforts.

Lieutenant Myron Holubiak has served the community of Tucson, Arizona since 1998. He is assigned to the Analysis section, which creates data-driven analyses of patrol deployments, criminal intelligence, and other policy, strategic, and operational metrics. Lieutenant Holubiak oversees the CompStat and Research and Analysis units, and the Tucson Real-time Analytical Crime Center (TRACC), which provides tactical intelligence to responding operations units through ad hoc research. Previously, he supervised Audit and Best Practices, which analyzes department-member uses of force and researches industry standards, guiding the design of policies and operational practices. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona.

Sgt. Jeffery Egge currently serves as supervisor of Strategic Analysis for the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and specializes in the study of homicide, gang crime, hot spots, and research translation. With MPD, Sgt. Egge has worked in CompStat, Organized Crime, Homicide, and Patrol. Sgt. Egge holds a master's degree in police leadership, administration, and training from the University of St. Thomas, and a bachelor's degree in organizational management from Concordia University. He was a Senior Research Fellow at the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and has contributed to publications on crime analysis, research and planning, and predictive policing. Jeff has presented at national symposia for the Center for Evidence Based Crime Policy, Police Executive Research Forum, and the International Association of Crime Analysts. Prior to joining the MPD, he was an Investigations and Training Specialist and Loss Prevention Manager for Dayton Hudson (now Target Corp).

Sergeant Johnson has served the Town of Darien (CT) for the last sixteen years. During his time as a detective sergeant, he leveraged research to increase his agency's investigative capacity by cross-training a subset of patrol officers to function as detectives. In his current role as a night shift supervisor, he lead a multi-site randomized controlled trial to test the relationship between enhanced patrol vehicle lighting and crime. Sgt. Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Geneva College, a master's degree in justice administration from Western Connecticut State University, a master's degree in criminal justice from John Jay College, and a doctorate in criminal justice from the City University of New York Graduate Center. His dissertation research focused on the role of relational networks in diffusing law enforcement innovations.