The Williamston Police Department recently announced that the Excellence in Policing and Public Safety (EPPS) Program at the University of South Carolina School of Law has selected Lieutenant Lauren Mulz to participate in their inaugural training program, the Command Staff Professional Development Initiative.
The University of South Carolina’s New Excellence in Policing and Public Safety (EPPS) Program Aims to Advance Community Security and Resilience.
The EPPS Program, in collaboration with the Law Enforcement Training Counsel, was established in 2022 through a direct appropriation from the South Carolina Legislature. Their mission is to ensure all public safety professionals are equipped with the latest knowledge, skills, and attitudes to equitably advance effective public safety services in all communities.
Through robust training grounded in adult learning theory, collaborative research designed to meet the needs of the field, and technical assistance designed to promote evidence-based practices, the EPPS Program aims to establish the state of South Carolina as a model for law enforcement training and education across the country.
The EPPS Program’s inaugural training is the Command Staff Professional Development Initiative, where rising law enforcement leaders across the state will engage in an in-depth exploration of a range of critical topics, gaining knowledge, insight, and practical skills they can immediately bring back to their communities.
More than fifty officers from forty different agencies applied to participate in the first cohort. After a competitive applicative process, Lt. Lauren Mulz was one of only sixteen officers selected.
“Every member of this diverse group of applicants stands out for their strong contributions to the profession, their dedication to their communities, and their interest in personal growth” said Seth Stoughton, the Faculty Director and founder of the EPPS Program. “South Carolina is lucky to have them, and we are looking forward to working with and learning from them.”
“We are so proud of Lt. Mulz for her selection into this elite and necessary program and are confident she will represent our agency and the people of Williamston well,” said Chief Kevin Marsee. “We are honored to have an officer in the first training cohort and are looking forward to seeing what innovative approaches and strategies they will bring back to our department.”
In addition to benefiting from the intensive 18-month training program, Lt. Mulz also will work with the University of South Carolina School of Law to better inform how the EPPS Program can help meet the public safety needs of state law enforcement practitioners and communities.
“We are grateful to the Williamston Police Department for participating in this effort,” said Stoughton. “We understand the many demands on law enforcement in South Carolina; it isn’t easy to commit a key officer to long-term training like this. Chief Marsee’s support demonstrates a real commitment to professionalism.”
The first course of this initiative, “Principles of Leadership and Management,” will take place in Columbia August 7-11, 2023. Program participants will learn about observational leadership, ethical decision-making, transformative communication, adaptive learning organizations, agency culture, and strategic risk management, among other topics. Program participants will receive nine additional trainings over the next year and a half, and EPPS plans to onboard a second cohort of rising leaders in early 2024.
“The EPPS Program is exactly what is needed in South Carolina to mend and build bridges for Community Policing in our state. Ultimately, I see our communities more engaged and thriving because of the efforts of the EPPS Program,” said Kayin Jones, a community advocate and professor at Benedict College who sits on the EPPS Program Advisory Board.
South Carolina Criminal Justice Training Academy Director Jackie Swindler is an enthusiastic supporter. “We are committed to professional development for police leaders,” he said. As the Co-Chair, Director Swindler works closely with the police chiefs, sheriffs, community representatives, and researchers who made up the EPPS Program Advisory Board.
