Maryland Police Chief also leads international police
organization
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - 10 August 2006 - Gaithersburg, Md., Police Chief Mary Ann
Viverette has distinguished herself as a leader who is respected for her
innovative programs and her willingness to step outside her comfort zone.
Today, she will be recognized as Woman Law Enforcement Executive of the Year by
her peers at the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE)
annual conference.
NAWLEE and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) will honour Viverette during the group’s
11th annual conference and she will share her experiences and guidance gleaned
through her 27 years with the police department located 12 miles outside of
Washington, D.C. Motorola is hosting the conference.
“I am very grateful to be recognized by my peers, and happy to be able to make
a contribution at the national level,’’ Viverette said.
The police chief of the second largest city in Maryland also currently serves
as the first woman president of the International Association of Chiefs of
Police (IACP), an 18,000-member organization working on behalf of law
enforcement officials worldwide. “I am glad that I am able to provide a visual
reminder to other women that we are making contributions to law enforcement
everywhere,” Viverette said. “Other women have told me how important it is to
see me up there on the dais.’’ She estimated that there are only about 150
women police chiefs in the country.
It was Viverette’s involvement in IACP, along with other women in the 1990s,
which planted the seeds of NAWLEE. Networking with other women at IACP events,
they sought out further opportunities to share their knowledge. “As a mentoring
organization, NAWLEE is a very comfortable place for a woman to be,’’ she said.
Today NAWLEE has about 400 members, including law enforcement agency leaders
and future leaders nationwide.
“Mary Ann’s (Viverette’s) dedication to law enforcement, and her national
stature as IACP president, make her an excellent choice for this year’s
Executive of the Year,’’ said NAWLEE president Susan Kyzer, bureau chief,
Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Gaithersburg’s progressive police force, which partners closely with the
Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department, has instituted its own Street Crimes
Unit, which blends features of uniformed and undercover work to concentrate on
rooting out repeat offenders and narcotics suspects. The department has its own
drug-sniffing dog which rides along with officers in “hot spots’’ where illegal
substances often surface during traffic stops. These programs are unusual
within a force of 49 sworn officers, but they are crucial given Gaithersburg’s
proximity to the nation’s capitol.
Viverette was named police chief in 1986. She graduated from the FBI National
Academy in 1988. She is active on the Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), and her department has been accredited since
1993.
In addition to recognizing Viverette’s achievements, the conference will honor
the six founders of the organization. They include:
- Chief Susan Riseling, University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department
- Barbara O’Brien, government affairs director, Cash America International
- Chief Joy Rikala, City of Minnetonka, Minn.
- Chief (Ret.) Alana Ennis, director, General Dynamics Armament
- Chief Anne Glavin, California State University at Northridge Department of Public Safety
- Chief Ellen Hanson, Lenexa Police Department, Lenexa, Kan.
Schaumburg Village President Al Larson and Motorola executives Mark Moon,
corporate vice president, Motorola Networks and Enterprise, and Jackie Wasni,
Motorola Communications & Electronics Inc. vice president, will welcome
guests to the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Conference Centre. The
conference runs through Aug. 13.
“Motorola is proud of NAWLEE’s efforts to support women who are leaders in law
enforcement and who devote their careers to public safety,’’ Wasni said.
In addition to remarks from Viverette, conferees will hear from keynote speaker
Zulima V. Farber, attorney general of New Jersey. Both are scheduled to speak
on Aug. 10.
About NAWLEE
The National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE) is the
first organization established to address the unique needs of women holding
senior management positions in law enforcement.
NAWLEE is a non-profit organization sponsored and administered directly by law
enforcement practitioners. Its mission is to serve and further the interests of
women executives and those who aspire to be executives in law enforcement. For
more information, please visit www.nawlee.com
Source: Motorola press release
