Recent Texas CPM Graduate, Gene Ellis, Police Chief & Assistant City Manager in Belton, Texas, has published his Capstone research in "The Police Chief" magazine, the official publication of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

In Chief Ellis' article titled, Prevention-Focused Community Policing Building Public Trust, he explored Sir Robert Peel’s Nine Principles of Policing (1829) with current community-oriented policing models adopted in the mid-1980s. His research found that true community policing is an understanding that the police cannot do it alone and must build partnerships with the community to solve community problems. He focused on seven steps to building public trust in policing using a prevention-focused policing model that inclues:

1. Make prevention the focus of police operations.
2. Foster a servant-guardian mentality in officers.
3. Make quality of life the end game.
4. Embrace smart policing initiatives.
5. Develop law enforcement staff.
6. Adopt “best practices” in policing.
7. Promote an officer safety mind-set.

Chief Gene Ellis is a 28-year veteran of policing and has served as a police chief for over 18 years. He holds an undergraduate degree in criminal justice from the University of Houston and a graduate degree in criminal justice from St. Ambrose University, and he is a graduate of the 217th Session of the FBI National Academy and of the Certified Public Manager Program through Texas State University. Chief Ellis also serves as assistant city manager for the City of Belton in addition to his police chief duties.