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Sarah Boyd - Public Relations Specialist
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Sarah Boyd has been employed by the Kansas City Police Department for the past 12 years. At the beginning of her career, social media use in policing was uncommon; therefore, she was tasked with developing and building the social media presence of the agency. She has worked with platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Nextdoor, Chief’s Blog, and Instagram. Within 10 years, she built a Twitter following of 233,000 in a city of about 475,000 residents. Public Relations Specialist Boyd built this following through years of continued responsiveness and innovative engagement methods. Her development of the “tweet-along” program became a model for departments everywhere to use Twitter to engage with the community.

Recognized as a vice-chair on the Public Information Committee for the Major Cities Chiefs Association, she has been invited to share her knowledge and experience at conferences around the United States and to serve in a consulting role for other police departments. She also instructs weekly internal social media training in order to teach social media use and community engagement enhancement to nearly 1,400 sworn officers.

Originally a crime and education newspaper reporter, Public Relations Specialist Boyd was drawn to the law enforcement profession due to the observations and stories she received from the community’s officers while reporting. She believes that the foundation of trust the agency has built through efforts such as promoting events or posting on social media has prevented the dissension, violence, and rioting experienced in other cities, creating a safer environment for everyone to work, live, and play in.

Sgt. Jake Becchina - Public Information Officer
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Sgt Jake Becchina is a 17+ year veteran of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. He is currently assigned to the Media Relations Unit, responsible for supervising public information regarding department activities to local, regional, and national media partners. Jake has been assigned to Patrol, Tactical Response, Training Academy, and Violent Crimes Enforcement as an officer, and Patrol, Real-Time Crime Center, and Media as a Sergeant. Jake is passionate about police/community relations and focuses his efforts to build trust through transparency.  During his 2.5+ years in the Media Relations Unit he has managed public information for high profile events such as multiple officers involved in a shooting and being wounded, a critical incident during the Chief’s Superbowl parade, record numbers of homicides two consecutive years, and many others.

Police Chief Magazine Article  - No More Rocks and Bottles: Lessons Learned in Crisis Communications

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Christopher Cook serves as a lieutenant overseeing the media relations and strategic communications for the Arlington, Texas Police Department. He leads a team focused on internal and external communication initiatives, proactive citizen engagement through digital social media, and strategic public relations. Lt. Cook oversees both sworn and civilian staff which manage all media inquiries, respond to major incidents, and produce digital media and publications to reach the population who live, work and visit the 48th largest city in the United States.

Lt. Cook was elected in 2019 and serves as the current Vice President of the National Information Officers Association (NIOA), the largest group of communication professionals in the world. He is scheduled to be sworn in as President of the NIOA in August 2021. He also chairs the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) – Public Information Officers Committee representing 78 of the largest police departments in the United States and Canada, since 2018. Lt. Cook is a Regional Vice Chair representing the Central United States consisting of Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) – Public Information Officers Section and previously served as the Chair for that Section from 2015-2018. He also is an active member of the North Texas PIO Group which provides regular assistance and training to law enforcement agencies in the greater Dallas/Fort Worth region. Lt. Cook testified before the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice-Community Trust and Respect for Law Enforcement panel in 2020. He also provided testimony to the IACP Police Professional Standards Ethics and Image Committee on the state of policing related to the value that public information officers provide to communities in the midst of calls for police reform and defunding media teams. Lt. Cook provides regular instructional courses in the public information profession to a variety of agencies and organizations. Speaking and executive training engagements include the IACP, NIOA, MCCA, FBI, Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, Texas Crime Prevention Association, Institute for Law Enforcement Administration, Caruth Police Institute, Government Social Media Conference, the Social Media Internet Law Enforcement Conference, and numerous other law enforcement centric organizations.

Lt. Cook began his career in law enforcement in 1995 and graduated at the top of his class. He has worked in jail operations, patrol, traffic enforcement, commercial vehicle enforcement, high-intensity drug trafficking operations, and fatality crash investigations. Lt. Cook has a decade of experience in media relations, strategic communication, and public outreach efforts based upon his appointment to lead the Media Office in 2011. He has served as a lead public information planner and PIO for several large-scale events including the MLB World Series in 2011 and 2020, NFL Super Bowl in 2011, College Football Playoff National Championship in 2015, and the National Finals Rodeo in 2020. Lt. Cook holds a Master of Arts in Criminology & Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at Arlington and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at Tarleton State University.

Christopher Cook – Lieutenant –Arlington Police Department Work - 817.459.5333
Work E-Mail -  Personal  E-Mail 
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Trooper Bush is a graduate of Kansas State University.  Tiffany joined the Kansas Highway Patrol in July 2007, where she was stationed in Troop A, the Kansas City Metro.  Tiffany has been an FTO to 5 new troopers. Tiffany coached at the training academy for her 10-year anniversary class.  Tiffany has been an instructor on our Traffic Stop Team where they teach the recruits how to safely conduct traffic stops and perform felony traffic stops. Tiffany has been a CPST (Child Passenger Safety Technician) since 2007.  Tiffany teaches parents almost daily how to install their child’s seat or provide seats to those unable to afford one. Tiffany is a certified Level II (2008) and HazMat (2016) for CVSA inspections.  Tiffany will be certified this year on cargo tankers.  Tiffany was the agency recruiter from 2018 to 2020 before she was selected for the PIO position (again) in October 2020.  Tiffany is also on our Mobile Field Force team, as an arrest team member, which is utilized for riots or protests.  She was able to attend the 2021 Presidential Inauguration as part of this team.

You can follow Trooper Bush on Twitter @KHPTrooperTiff
She can be contacted via her agency email address at [email protected]

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Since 2012, Katie Carlson has served as the Public Information Officer for the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Her responsibilities include serving as the primary media contact and managing media relations and social media across all Divisions of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. In addition to her responsibilities as PIO, Carlson is the project manager in the implementation of a Department of Justice grant to establish a peer support program and mindfulness training at the MCSO.

Carlson is a certified yoga instructor and instructs all incoming Deputies and Detention Deputies in yoga and mindful breathing techniques at the MCSO Training Academy. She regularly partners with government agencies and non-profit organizations to provide free yoga classes to the public.

Carlson received a Bachelor of Science from Ball State University in 2005, studying Political Science, Communications Studies, and Psychology. She is active in her community on the southside of Indianapolis and has served as a Board member on several area not-for-profit organizations.

Twitter @katiehc

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Capt. Adam Myrick has more than 17 years of media and public relations experience, preceded by nearly a decade in print, radio, and television newsrooms.

He became the public information officer, primary spokesperson, and media liaison for the 500 person Lexington County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Department in 2015. As a member of Sheriff Jay Koon’s executive staff, Adam helms the department’s public information unit. He is responsible for media relations, crisis communication, and issues management, along with the agency’s video productions, social media, and digital content.

Adam got his start in the media in 1995 as a freelance correspondent at his hometown newspaper. He went on to cover news and sports as an anchor, reporter, and producer at radio and television stations, and broadcast networks in South Carolina and Dallas, Texas.

Adam jumped to the “other side of the news” in 2004 when he became a public information officer and spokesperson for one of South Carolina’s largest and most high-profile state government agencies.

Adam also serves as an instructor with FBI-LEEDA. He is a frequent speaker and panelist focused on law enforcement’s relationship with the news media and the profession’s use of social media and digital content. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Lander University. 

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Jordan is the Public Information Officer and a Lieutenant with the Jefferson County Fire Department in Lexington Kentucky

Cellular (502) 341-7390
Twitter @PIOYoudis37

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An 18 year veteran of the Indiana State Police and currently the Public Information Officer for the Indianapolis District. A member of the ISP Honor Guard, a firearms and tactics instructor, and an Indiana Safe School Specialist. 

Twitter: @ISPIndianapolis

Facebook: Sgt. John Perrine – Indiana State Police Indianapolis District

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 317-899-8577

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Stephanie Slater became the Boynton Beach Police Department’s Public Information Officer in April 2007, following seven years as a newspaper reporter.

Slater serves as a strategic communications advisor and community engagement liaison, overseeing the agency’s branding and messaging. She is the agency spokeswoman, working closely with media partners to keep the community informed. She also manages the agency’s social media and website, video production, podcasts, and recruitment campaigns.

Slater is an instructor for FBI-LEEDA, teaching media and public relations to law enforcement executives across the country. She is the Immediate Past President of the National Information Officers Association and a member of the Florida Law Enforcement Public Information Officers Association.

Slater is a frequent guest speaker about law enforcement’s use of Social Media and has contributed to several textbooks about the topic. She also contributed to a Boston University journalism textbook on public affairs reporting and served on a panel that helped develop a model social media policy for the IACP.

She was honored as the Boynton Beach Police Department’s Civilian Employee of the Year in 2008; Civilian of the Quarter in July 2017 and received the International Association of Chiefs of Police 40 Under 40 award, which recognizes law enforcement professionals from around the world who demonstrate leadership and exemplify a commitment to their profession, in October 2017.

A New York native, Slater is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, where she majored in print journalism. She previously worked as a breaking news and crime reporter for The Boca News and The Palm Beach Post.

She is the proud wife of a police officer and mother of a kindergartner!

You can contact Stephanie via Twitter @StrategicPIO or via email at [email protected].

If you are interested in listening to the Boynton Beach Police Department Podcast about Rosebud you can listen to it here.

Stephanie also talked about the training classes offered by FBI-LEETA, you can find out if a class is coming nearby by going to the training page for the Media and Public Relations Course. You can also find information about the Master PIO Course as well. 

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Sarah Gamblin-Luig joined the CEMA in 2010 as a Specialist responsible for public information, community outreach, training, exercise, and general topics emergency management. In 2012, Sarah was promoted to Communications Center Coordinator taking responsibility for all notification and communication equipment and processes for the agency. In addition to those tasks, Sarah has served on a number of committees and advisory councils responsible for developing policy at the local, state, and federal levels. They have also served as the lead on several high-profile events, including Major League Baseball Playoffs, National Hockey League Playoffs, Fair St. Louis, and the city’s responses to civil unrest.

An authority on social media, Sarah has been a member of the executive board of Social Media Club St. Louis, has been a speaker at the Government Social Media Social for Safety Conference, Missouri Emergency Management Conference, Northeast Illinois Public Information Officers Association Conference, the Red Cross Preparedness Academy, and has also presented to groups from the Federal Commission on School Safety, the St. Louis Federal Executive Board, the New Leaders Council, and the World Affairs Council of St. Louis. They have also been a consultant for several departments and organizations as they look to engage in using social media for local government or emergency response purposes. In 2015, Sarah was appointed to the Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate’s Social Media Working Group for Emergency Services and Disaster Management which establishes and collects best practices and solutions to be utilized by public safety officials throughout the nation. 

Sarah is a member of the Government Social Media Organization, National Information Officers Association, and the Engaging Local Government Leaders Organization. They also work with Team Rubicon and serve as the Incident Management Team (IMT) Public Information Officer (PIO). They also volunteer as a bugler, performing Taps at military ceremonies and memorial services in the St. Louis area.

Sarah has responded to several tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes across the country filling roles from incident commander to chainsaw operator.

Here Twitter handled @commsdom
Her Linked In Account https://www.linkedin.com/in/gamblinluig/

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Award-winning Public Information Officer. Corey Dobridnia is currently employed at the Walton County Sheriff's Office. In a past life, Dobridnia worked as the weekend anchor for WMBB, an ABC Affiliate out of Panama City covering Tyndall Air Force Base, Naval Support Activity Panama City and more.

Dobridnia graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelor's degree in communication and earned a master's degree from Florida State University, Panama City in corporate and public communication. ERAU was also where she lettered in women's volleyball.

In 2017, Dobridnia was dually named Public Information Officer of the Year by the Florida Law Enforcement Public Information Officer's Association and the Florida Association of Public Information Officers. In 2018, Dobridnia received the PIO Deployment Team Mobilization Award after deploying to help public agencies following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Michael. In 2020, Walton County Sheriff's Office was a finalist for Government Social Media's Golden Post Awards for Best Instagram Presence.

Connect with Corey on her LinkedIn or Twitter accounts

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdobridnia/
https://twitter.com/cdobridnia

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Our premiere sponsor, Social News Desk, has an exclusive offer for PIO Podcast listeners. Head over to socialnewsdesk.com/pio to get three months free when a qualifying agency signs up.