Ken served as a police officer in the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for 25 years before retiring in the rank of Inspector. As an executive in the world’s largest police department, he commanded both proactive street crime units and an ethnically diverse precinct in Brooklyn. He was most recently assigned as the Commanding Officer of the Employee Relations Bureau, which is tasked with morale enhancement, employee engagement, promoting the health and well-being of all members, and supporting the families of fallen officers and members who are seriously ill or injured, and was also liaison to the department’s fraternal organizations. While at the NYPD, he regularly taught leadership development to all supervisory ranks of police officers.
Ken is also an assistant professor of criminal justice at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, where he teaches in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. He teaches a wide variety of courses that focus on various aspects of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, criminal investigations, drugs, and organized crime. He received his Ph.D. in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and has dual master’s degrees in criminal justice and emergency management. He is also a graduate of Columbia University’s Police Management Institute. His research focuses on police organizational culture, recruitment, retention, officer wellness, human-animal interactions within the criminal justice system, and community satisfaction with the police.
In addition to his work with the Justice and Safety Institute, Ken regularly trains police officers in wellness and suicide prevention. He also teaches international police officers and first responders various topics, including mental health and wellness, leadership, and emergency management, through capacity building projects in Latin America that are sponsored by the US Department of State.
Upcoming Courses
No courses are currently scheduled with this instructor.