TOP SUPERVISORS AWARD
Byron Blair
Sergeant, Long Beach Police Department
Long Beach Police Sergeant Byron Blair is presently assigned as a field supervisor where I have had the pleasure of directly observing his work performance. Sergeant Blair consistently provides a high degree of personal attention and genuine concern to fellow officers and citizens alike. As an esteemed and formally recognized police department mentor, he avails himself to and routinely counsels officers in various matters and personal challenges. He also mentors police cadets in career preparation and the importance of personal character and integrity. Sergeant Blair readily provides these youthful and future law enforcement officers with invaluable training and guidance with their developing professional skills, such as in the areas of work ethic, investigation and report writing.
Sergeant Blair’s commitment to public service and protection is unwavering, as recently evidenced by a highly successful public education burglary prevention campaign that he envisioned and his self-initiated efforts to work with community members in installing new Neighborhood Watch programs. Sergeant Blair willingly accepts added responsibilities not in service to self, but rather to others and our police department. He is a Field Training Program Supervisor, Academy Instructor, Department Recruiter and member of the Chief’s Advisory Group and Minister’s Alliance.
Sergeant Blair’s peers are impressed with his leadership and supervisory qualities. He seeks not only to identify problems, but endeavors to solve them. He ensures the performance and work quality of officers in his charge, and welcomes honest critique of his own work. Sergeant Blair is firm, objective, poised, articulate, involved and intelligent — all vital traits of an effective supervisor.
Sergeant Blair’s character and commitment to excellence are beyond reproach. The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics speaks of service to mankind, maintaining an unsullied private life, being mindful of the welfare of others and honesty in one’s professional and private lives. Sergeant Blair is a testament to each of these qualities and is highly deserving of the distinct honor of being a Golden Badge Foundation Award recipient.
TOP SUPERVISORS AWARD
Dennis Porter
Retired Sergeant, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca believes a highly educated workforce is necessary to carry out the responsibilities entrusted to it by the public it serves. It was from this vision that the Sheriff created the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department University (LASDU).
The LASDU is a consortium of colleges and universities affiliated with the department. Its mission is to provide the Sheriff’s Department employees with accessible and varied learning programs that will enhance personal and professional growth, promote a lifelong commitment to learning and enable all department employees to better serve their community.
During the pioneering phase of LASDU, then-Sergeants Dennis Porter and John Baylis were selected to develop and implement LASDU. In September 2001, Porter was instrumental in developing a baccalaureate degree program affiliated with California State University, Long Beach. Porter continued his success and partnered with other learning institutions such as National University, Woodbury University and TUI University. These partnerships led to numerous educational opportunities for Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employees, as well as personnel from other public service agencies.
In addition to the partnerships Porter has developed and the countless lives enhanced by his work providing educational opportunities, Porter is an educational advocate. He ensured that educational opportunities were reasonably priced, regionally accredited and designed for working adults. Porter was also responsible for improving the education reimbursement program benefiting employees.
As the architect of LASDU, Porter used his skills to develop a consortium of colleges for the education program of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). Porter selected many of the same colleges found in LASDU and partnered them with the FOP. As a result of his efforts, extraordinary educational opportunities are being offered to law enforcement agencies across the country.
In addition to assisting the FOP with its consortium, Porter used his experience to help the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) develop its university program. Porter’s influence led to the LAPD having many of the same colleges in its consortium as the FOP and LASD universities.
Although Porter retired in 2005, his legacy lives on as he has continued to work as a Reserve Deputy for LASDU. His historical perspective of the LASDU, combined with his knowledge of the educational system, has proven invaluable to the members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and other program participants. Porter continues to assist with presentations, graduations, marketing and enhancement of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department University program.
Under his leadership, Porter has seen the LASDU consortium grow from one school to over 20. Thanks to his efforts, one may now participate in genuine, fully accredited scholastic programs culminating in associate, bachelor’s, master’s, juris doctorate and Ph.D. degrees in a variety of subjects.
Due largely to the efforts of retired Sergeant Dennis Porter, the National Fraternal Order of Police University and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department University have become nationally recognized. His dedication and hard work have helped the men and women in law enforcement prepare for the job they do every day protecting the communities they serve.
