Executive Board

Chief John Bennett
Chief John Bennett is a 36 year veteran of Law Enforcement. He was appointed as Chief of Police for the Town of Paradise Valley in June, 2008. Prior to that, he was Chief of Police in Caln Township, PA from 2002 – 2008 and retired as Deputy Chief of Police in 2002 from Marple Township, PA after 30 years of service. Both prior agencies are located in suburban Philadelphia.

He holds a B.A. degree from Villanova University and has attended nearly 200 management, supervision and advanced training seminars in his career. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (188th session); FBI LEEDS at Princeton University and Penn State University’s POSIT & POLEX executive development programs.

In PA, he was elected to the executive board of the Chester County Chiefs of Police Association, served on the PA Chiefs of Police Association’s Legislative and Membership/By-Laws Committees and currently serves on the IACP Civil Rights Committee. He was also an instructor for 12 years for the PA Municipal Officers’ Education and Training Commission.

Among many assignments held during his career in PA, he was an undercover narcotics detective, commanded patrol and detective units and commanded a county-wide hostage negotiation team. More recently he helped develop and commanded a county-wide Major Incident Response Team of over 100 officers who responded to high risk situations, riots and natural/man-made disasters. He was also responsible for implementing numerous community oriented initiatives including a Youth Aid Panel for those juveniles who admitted involvement in a crime, took responsibility for their actions and performed community service in lieu of prosecution. Recidivism was less than 1% for those who entered the program.

Chief Bennett is the father of three children. His oldest son is an Assistant District Attorney in Tulsa, OK and married to an attorney; his daughter is a teacher in Meridian, MS and married to a Navy pilot and his youngest son lives here in AZ pursuing a career in business.

Chief Robert Devries
Chief Robert DeVries joined the Kingman Police Department in May of 2003 after serving over 25 years and achieving the rank of Captain with the Holland, Michigan Police Department. He received his Bachelors Degree from Grand Valley State University in Michigan and since arriving in Arizona has completed the Southwest Leadership Academy and the Southwest Command College sponsored by the FBI Law Enforcement Executives Development Associates.

Chief DeVries serves as the Chairperson for the Mohave General Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET) and the Western Arizona Law Enforcement Association representing all law enforcement associations in Mohave and LaPaz County. Additionally, he also serves as the Chairperson of the Arizona POST Rules Advisory Committee.

In 2007 he was appointed as a member of the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) board and the Management sub-committee. The HIDTA Board provides oversight for over 11 million dollars in funding for the State of Arizona through the Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2008, he was appointed to serve in the United States Attorney Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee for the State of Arizona.

Chief Patrick R. Melvin

Chief Melvin is currently the Public Safety Director, responsible for police and fire services for the City of Maricopa, AZ, a progressive community 20 miles south of Phoenix. The City of Maricopa became incorporated in 2003 and recruited Chief Melvin to form its own police department in 2006.

After a nationwide search, Chief Patrick Melvin was selected and was appointed the City’s first ever police officer as the Chief of Police in September 2006. In October of 2006, Chief Melvin retired from the City of Phoenix Police Department as a police commander after 21 years of dedicated service and began Chief of Police duties in Maricopa the very next day. Chief Melvin was tasked with building, designing and forming a police department from the ground up.

Fourteen months after his appointment, the Maricopa PD began 24/7 day a week operations serving a population of approximately 38,000 residents and almost 60 square miles. In February 2008, Chief Melvin was elevated to the position of Public Safety Director responsible for both police and fire departments and over 130 public safety professionals.

The motto of the Maricopa Public Safety Department is: “PROACTIVE, PROFESSIONAL, PROGRESSIVE.” (This motto is on each police cruiser and police motorcycle) Chief Melvin is a member of the Executive Board of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, serving as its 2^nd National Vice President and is also a board member of the Arizona Chief’s of Police Association serving as its 3^rd Vice President.

Chief Melvin was the 2003 NOBLE Recipient of a year long Executive Fellowship with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington, D.C. A national subject matter expert on Traffic Safety Issues, Chief Melvin travels the country presenting on the topic. In 2004, Chief Melvin was the recipient of the LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) Community Service Award for his involvement in traffic safety, child safety seat and seat belt issues in our communities and the 2006 NOBLE Outstanding Leadership Award for the Arizona Chapter of NOBLE. In 2007, Chief Melvin was appointed a commissioner on the Arizona Commission on African American Affairs (ACAAA) by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and was also named the “2007 City of Maricopa Man of the Year.”

Chief Melvin received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University, a Master of Education Degree with Distinction from Northern Arizona University, and the Certified Public Manager Designation from Arizona State University’s College of Public Programs.

“My view of community-based policing includes officers and fire fighters spending time problem solving within our community developing proactive and innovative solutions for crime abatement and providing public education for fire safety for the residents in our community. Interaction with the members of our community, business owners, and even our students, is essential for our public safety department to be responsive and receptive to our community needs.”

Chief John Pickens

John L. Pickens was born in Anderson, South Carolina and is currently the Chief of Police at Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona. He began his law enforcement career with St. Louis City Metropolitan Police Department in June 1974. He joined Uplands Park Police Department in 1976 and advanced through the ranks as Patrolman, Sergeant, and Lieutenant.

He joined the Pine Lawn Police Department in 1978, where he held the positions of Sergeant, Detective Sergeant and Chief of Police. He was appointed Chief of Police in 1981 at 31 years of age. He was appointed Director of Police at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1987 and served in that capacity until 1994; at which time he was appointed Director of Public Safety at Northern Illinois University.

While at Northern University he implemented the Bicycle Patrol, Student Patrol for Safety Escorts, Residence Hall Officer Liaison Program, Community Based Policing Program, Public Safety Advisory Board, and other programs such as “Meet Your Local Police” and “Finals Relief” to address racial profiling and other related issues effecting minority students, supported and assisted with the implementation of Tip Line, created a partnership with GTE for a Cellular Digital Packet Data pilot program, implemented an in-car video recording system and installed laptops in all police vehicles.

Chief Steve West

A fourth-generation native of Springerville, Chief West joined the Springerville Police Department in 1989 as a patrol officer. In 1992, he was selected as the Chief of Police. Chief West attended the University of Arizona, studying agriculture, then completed his B.A. Degree in Public Safety Administration and returned to Springerville to raise his family and pursue his goal as a law enforcement officer and administrator. He now holds a Governor appointed position a vice chairman on the Northern Regional Advisory Council for Homeland Security and is active in numerous other community and state positions.

"The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police is the premier organizations for law enforcement in our state and as such should be used to help facilitate the needs of those we serve".

Chief Tim Dorn

Chief Tim Dorn has over thirty-two years of law enforcement service and has served his country and state as a member of the Army National Guard and Army Reserve for over thirty-three years.

He began his law enforcement career as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in 1975. In 1976 Chief Dorn became a police officer with the Gilbert Arizona Police Department, where he served as a patrol officer until 1978, when he became a Deputy Sheriff with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. He served with the Sheriff’s Office for nearly twenty-four years, retiring at the rank of Captain. Upon retirement Chief Dorn accepted a position as the Field Operations Division Commander with the Gilbert Arizona Police Department. Dorn served as Gilbert’s Interim Chief of Police from December 2005 until May 2006, when he was appointed as Gilbert’s permanent Chief.

Chief Dorn’s law enforcement assignments include uniform patrol, lake patrol, training / administration, tactical operations, special enforcement, traffic, internal affairs, drug enforcement, gang enforcement, criminal investigations and homicide investigations. He has held additional certifications as an Underwater Search and Recovery Diver, Medic, Mounted Officer, Field Training Officer and General Instructor.

Chief Dorn served eight years as an enlisted Military Policeman in the Arizona Army National Guard and Army Reserve. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army National Guard upon graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1982. Dorn currently holds the rank of Colonel and is assigned as the Brigade Commander, 98^th Troop Command, Arizona Army National Guard. Colonel Dorn was called to active duty from January 2003 to February 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge during ground combat operations.

Dorn’s education includes an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Mesa Community College, Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies from Northern Arizona University, 175^th Session of the FBI National Academy, Officer Candidate School, Military Police Officer Basic Course, Military Police Officer Advanced Course, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms Staff Skills School and Command General Staff Officer College. He has also completed the Gilbert Leadership Program.

Tim Lives in Queen Creek, Arizona with his wife of over 28 years, Kim. He has a daughter Brandi, son Robert and two grandchildren.

Chief John Harris

John is currently the Police Chief in Sahuarita, Arizona, holding that position for the past two year. He has been a Police Chief for fifteen years, serving two years in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, eight years in Springfield, Illinois, three years in Evanston, Wyoming and currently two years in Sahuarita, Arizona. John has been in law enforcement for thirty four years starting in Tucson, Arizona as a police officer and having the opportunity to hold almost every assignment, retiring in 1993 as Assistant Police Chief. John was able to retire again from Springfield Illinois in 2003 where he was serving as the police chief. During that time John was able to gain experience in all aspects of policing in small, medium and large organizations.

He holds a Master of Arts Degree from Western Illinois University in Criminal Justice, also holding a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Arizona in Public Administration with the major field of study being law enforcement. He attended the 151^st session of the F.B.I. National Academy, the F.B.I. Executive Development Course, the F.B.I. MLEEDS Executive Development program, the Illinois Law Enforcement Executive Institute, and the F.B.I.’s Southwest Command College.

In addition, John has obtained experience in the field of law enforcement education. He has served as an adjunct instructor for Western Illinois University. He has been an Instructor for Arizona Post for thirty two years, teaching numerous courses in law enforcement topics and skills. John has been on the Illinois Governors Auto Theft Task Force, the Illinois Chief’s executive committee, the Illinois Chief’s Legislative Committee, Wyoming Chiefs and Sheriffs Legislative Committee and Wyoming’s representative to IACP’s SACOP committee, and Arizona Chief’s Associations legislative committee and currently serving as the fourth Vice President of that organization.

John currently instructs courses for BowMac in Critical Incident Response. He also teaches for Northwestern’s School of Staff and Command (SPSC).