In anticipation of our keynote speaker, Police Chief Andre Anderson, there was a full room of Rotarians at the Michigan Union on March 12. President Joyce Hunter rang the bell to start our meeting, and pianist Jody Tull de Salis accompanied the club as we sang our National Anthem. Victor Stoeffler then inspired each of us to embrace the role of parent by helping our youngsters through love and joy as well as leading them past fear and danger. With Jody still at the keyboard, Shelley MacMillan, Susan Shipman and Kathy Waugh led the club in a delightful re-write of the Rotary Club standard Smile, Sing a Song into Sing and the world sings with you…. Sing a song! [See you at Rotary Night of Wine, Women & Song XXIII on April 9 at 7 p.m.]
President Joyce welcomed Rotary visitors and guests, then gave a shout-out to birthdays and club anniversaries. She then thanked the meeting team for today: Mary Avrakatos, Dallas Dort, Don Duquette, Melissa Foster, Fernando Leon, Dennis Powers, Rob Shiff, Leo Shedden, and Mary Steffek Blaske.
CLUB BUSINESS
President Joyce announced that a committee is being formed to draft our Club’s Executive Administrator position, and that there is an upcoming Leadership
Class on “Storytelling in Business.”
Don Duquette shared an informative climate change video showing how Rotary’s 4-Way Test underscores the importance of each Rotary club around the globe working toward being climate friendly and carbon neutral. See our website in the days to come for details and to help with formulating how our club can makcid:78269054-57AA-49C0-83BE-02C701402F2Ee our meetings to be carbon neutral.
Todd Kephart, celebrating his 16th year as a Rotarian in our club, came to the podium to urge our club members to make an all-important contribution to our 21st annual food and funds drive – Rotary Fights Child Hunger through Food Gatherers. Make your cash contribution with a notation on check or online that it is a ROTARY contribution. Given recent Federal cuts to food banks, your support is vitally important to kids who won’t be receiving meals through their schools during the summer. A thanks to Todd and Margaret Kephart who are supporting this annual drive with a personal match of $15,000.Barbara Eichmuller announced that the successful February food prep for St. Andrew’s breakfast program will be repeated on March 15. An additional Rotarian is sought. This activity is also supported by many Rotaractors who have enjoyed working side-by-side with our club members.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Ann Arbor Police Lieutenant Corey Mills came to the podium to introduce our keynote speaker, Ann Arbor’s Police Department Chief, Andre Anderson. A 37-year law enforcement veteran, Anderson previously served as the Assistant Police Chief with the Tempe (AZ) Police Department, in Ferguson, MO and in Rochester, NY.Chief Anderson prefaced his talk by asking if his audience, like him, grew up as a dreamer. He shared that he was brought up by a single mother in a housing project in Philadelphia where he recalled reading Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Alice asks, “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
The Cheshire Cat responds, “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
“I don’t much care where.”
“Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.”
5 C’s
This early-in-life dialog was the groundwork for Anderson’s work philosophy that one develops a plan and that plan becomes your roadmap. That shared roadmap has led to Chief Anderson to the 5 C’s” at the Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD):
* Community Partnerships – AAPD builds community partnerships to deliver services to the community as problem-solving partners. AAPD partnerships include City Council, The Mayor, U of M, and other constituencies.
* Cultivate leaders: Chief’s leadership philosophy is rooted in his belief that identifying dedicated police professionals who a) embody the organization’s image and b) remain committed to community policing and its values is crucial for success. The AAPD prioritizes identifying emerging leaders at every level of the organization. Training and equipping the next generation of law enforcement executives is key to AAPD’s success as a department and for the community.
* Celebrate service – the AAPD celebrates and recognizes the exceptional contributions of its officers and professional staff, reinforcing a culture of excellence and motivating the team to consistently exceed expectations in service to the community.
* Creative solutions – AAPD is dedicated to implementing pragmatic, evidence-based solutions to real-world challenges internal and external to the department. The AAPD works to create policies and practices that are both effective and efficient in maintaining public safety.
* Community connections – Strengthening AAPD’s relationship with the community is paramount. Through active engagement, open dialogue, and connective initiatives, the AAPD aims to foster trust, mutual respect, and a safer environment for all.
AAPD VISION STATEMENT
Throughout Chief Anderson’s presentation, the AAPD’s Vision Statement was repeated:
To be a national model for earning trust within the community, safeguarding life, and promoting public safety through community policing.
Chief Anderson emphasized community policing and engagement rests on personal and professional relationships; forging and cultivating trust and demonstrating passion for the care of the community. He affirmed that service is where everyone is protected, and that needs vibrant partners and partnerships who build Trust.
Not all problems can be solved through arrests, he noted. Citing homelessness as an example, he said that the AAPD must have relationships and resources in order to change behavior. He added that five “beats,” the small geographical area where police officers work, have been created in Ann Arbor with each beat having its own leader and within a beat there may be “microbeats” so that community members can grow trust and recognize the officers who are working and connecting with them within that beat.
Chief Anderson closed by stating that Grace was part of his roadmap. He described the quality of Grace that reciprocates among and to police officers and to the community. He said that this still means being accountable, and retains humility.
The roomful of Rotarians gave Chief Anderson a warm round of applause, and many Rotarians stayed after the meeting to ask further questions to Chief Anderson, Lieutenant Mills and Deputy Police Chief Jason Forsberg who all stayed on to answer questions.
President Joyce closed the meeting by asking all members to stand and recite the 4-way test:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? And
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
