State Board of Pardons and Paroles
Training in Best Practices for Public Safety
In order to ensure public safety through best practices the State Board of Pardons and Paroles systematically seeks appropriate training opportunities for staff. As a result parole staff attended the Georgia Commission on Family Violence (GCFV) annual conference in Athens last November. Parole Board Member Jacqueline Bunn and Executive Director of Parole Chris Barnett joined other parole staff. The Georgia Office of Victim Services provided one of the many training workshops available to attendees. Parole Board Member Terry Barnard serves on the commission's board.
The APPA's 42nd Annual Training Institute in New York was the last week of August. The Board sent employees to the conference for training in evidence based and best practices for parole.
Two of our employees are in the APPA's Leadership Institute, a twelve month program for community corrections professionals.
Several parole staff attended and volunteered at the NOBLE (National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives) Conference in late July. Vice Chairman Braxton Cotton served as a committee chair and moderated a workshop titled: Law Enforcement CEO’s Response to Crisis and the Investigative Reporter. The panelists were Randy Travis, WAGA Fox 5 Reporter, Mark Winne, WSB-TV ABC Reporter, Nefertiti Vasquez, WSB-TV Reporter, Nelly Miles, GBI Public Information Officer, Colonel Mark McDonough, Commissioner Georgia Dept. of Public Safety and Burke County Sheriff Alonzo Williams.
"The NOBLE conference brings together the best in law enforcement from across the country. The training better prepares law enforcement in order to provide for public safety," said Cotton.
The NOBLE conference included a "Day of Service" at which parole staff took part in a community service project in Atlanta.
Staff also participated in training opportunities at the Georgia Professional Association of Community Supervision (GPACS) Summer Training Conference. GPACS is the training organization for both probation and parole professionals.