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Knowledge exchange by and for public safety professionals
Tony Antoniou, new Chief Executive of BAPCO, on his first few months in BAPCO office.
There are so many things I'd hoped to have done, started or even completed within the first 100 days, like any aspiring Chief Exec. Inevitably, it's the challenge presented, daily, by what must get done to keep BAPCO on an even keel, versus those things we aspire to for our Association. Take your eye off the one, and luck has it that some issue or misfortune occurs which might cost time and effort, or even, worse still, money to resolve. Ignore the other, and those ambitious targets we set ourselves seem to drift further away.
But it's exciting, challenging, personally rewarding and a real opportunity to apply experience I can draw down upon from years in the commercial sector supplying into blue-lights and military needs worldwide.
It will be evident from the headline above this message that we've put good energy into encapsulating the best things about BAPCO, and building effective and simple messages to portray ourselves more positively. I believe this message sums up the sheer energy and capabilities that BAPCO holds, and my activities within the EU projects, active, new and that we're bidding on, confirm how effective these messages and the underlying strengths within BAPCO are.
It wasn't my idea to embark upon the most significant change programme that BAPCO has seen! Sure, I could see that it was necessary, and I said as much when I first met with our Executive and they described where we were. But when everyone demonstrated total commitment to it, I really saw the passion behind our achieving this.
The main thrust of these across-the-board changes are focused upon the following:
- getting our fiscal and reporting systems into shape
- establishing and implementing a professional, 21st century accounting system, and allowing Tracey Langmaid, our BAPCO Administration Manager, to throw her energy and enthusiasm at it
- developing and enhancing our regional structures and membership
- a soup-to-nuts assessment of all the good things about BAPCO and condensing these into contemporary, meaningful, short sharp messages for our use across a widening base
- engaging more effectively across Europe both through growth of funded projects and partnership enhancements
- actively supporting the growth and influence of the Global Alliance
- implementing a review of its Constitution so as to make it fit for purpose in the modern environment in which we operate.
I saw for myself, early on at my first Executive meeting, especially hearing the passion and the commitment from regional representatives there, the desire for change, for a refreshed BAPCO. I've engaged with trusted specialists, who have divined the short, modern truths from the hours of passionate talk. The new message base we have built will enable us to communicate more effectively and to forge new contacts and partners, and I'll be as passionate in driving these new messages to begin to work for us.
I sleep better, knowing that we have a fit-for-purpose, transparent and monitored accounting system in place. We have completed an overdue refresh of our legal and Companies House status. We have generated 21st century contracts and an Employee Handbook for the increasing number of people fully engaged running BAPCO or driving its projects.
Increasingly, EU projects are providing both kudos and a critical tertiary income for our Association. There is no doubt of our value to partners in the project sector, and I believe we will continue to see growth in this space. I am personally excited by the fact that we will see more members involved in this, and that in turn these projects generate new members. A by-product of our increasing involvement is an increasing partnership with EU commercial bodies and other blue-light agencies as we get involved in wider projects, which inevitably lead to yet more converged activities. Ian Readhead, our Immediate Past President, has been our excellent ambassador in meetings to build a strategic alliance with Public Communication Safety Europe. Paul Hirst, Shaun O'Neill, our European Project Managers, and myself are all getting involved with PSCE, and we will retain several full memberships going forward.
The Global Alliance is undoubtedly changing from a relatively minor debating environment for international cooperation into one that has the potential to actively grow the reputation of the four key member countries which forms the body of APCO. This is clearly evident from the leadership being displayed through the organisation of an international exhibition in Dubai. BAPCO have been supportive both in finance and planning in order to play a full part in these efforts. Plans are already in place for a further exhibition to take place in Qatar.
Alan House, our President, has played a key role in this work and will continue this endeavour over the next two years to deliver further engagement and leadership within this structure. We're all helping to achieve this, especially in many unsung efforts without which the initiative would suffer. I'm looking forward to hosting our friends busy setting up a German APCO, and I hope that by inviting them to join us at our forthcoming Executive meeting, they can gain experience from attending and seeing us, with no frills, managing, debating and driving forward as best we can.
The IT behind BAPCO is still too diverse, unconnected and doesn't fulfil members needs well. I have great aspirations to leverage what we have, discarding as little as possible, to begin to provide real 21st century, community IT services. We are looking at a number of initiatives here, and I hope to be able to deliver some of these aspirations later in the year.
I am finding that there is an appetite for change, and that no idea is ruled out for enthused consideration and debate. I am finding real support, from Sue Lampard, Vice President, Alan House and Ian Readhead, as you'd expect, and from everyone, regionally, nationally and internationally. Thank you!
So, with all this happening, plus the fact that things are approaching an even keel, with better fiscal security, and professional, accountable systems in place, I look forward very much to beginning to get involved in regional activities and enhancing memberships across a wider base of organisations.
The BAPCO2011 Conference is almost upon us, where we'll see 'Knowledge exchange by and for Public Safety professionals'. I believe this year's Conference and Exhibition will be one to remember – hailing a refreshed, recharged, vibrant BAPCO.
Tony Antoniou
