Des Moines, IA. Aaron Warlop of Rock Island, Illinois, has received a BSN, Nursing baccalaureate degrees at Grand View University (Des Moines, Iowa) commencement ceremonies held on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at Hy Vee Hall in the Iowa Events Center, 730 3rd Street, downtown Des Moines. Additional graduates include Davenport residents Amber Bloch, BA, Psychology; Ashlee Martin, BA, Human Services; and Deanna Pingel, BSN, Nursing, cum laude.
Judy Bradshaw was the keynote speaker and Grand View conferred upon Bradshaw an honorary degree at commencement.
Chief Bradshaw is a 32-year veteran of the Des Moines Police Department, starting out as a police cadet in 1980. As she climbed through the ranks of the department, she was considered a pioneer as the first woman lieutenant, captain, major, and now chief of police. Chief Bradshaw is the 60th chief of the department.
Chief Bradshaw has worked and supervised in every area of the Police Department, including commanding the Detective Bureau and the Patrol Services Bureau. She developed numerous policies and programs over the course of her career that are still in place today.
Since Chief Bradshaw took the position of Chief of Police in July of 2007, she has expanded our Neighborhood Based Service Delivery Program, assigning detectives and Traffic Unit officers to neighborhoods to provide citizens with greater access to department resources. She also began the LOST Program (Loved Ones Safe and Together) to help find dependent adults with Alzheimer's or other diseases who may become lost or disoriented.
Chief Bradshaw recently implemented an innovative new program called the Community Ambassador Program (CAP). CAP is a team of volunteers consisting of community leaders and clergy who serve as a liaison between the police department and the community. They participate with us in community events, including the Iowa State Fair, and are on-call to respond to incidents and serve as a resource for officers in defusing potentially volatile situations
Under Chief Bradshaw's administration, the Des Moines Police Department has focused attention on high-risk youth, realizing that our investments in mentoring them will pay dividends in the future. We have initiated a youth mentoring program called MY COP (Mentoring Youth With Cops). This initiative connects high-risk youth and police officers at recreational events. The youth contribute to the community by participating in two community service projects and take part in visiting area colleges.
Other significant new programs include online crime-mapping, where the public can retrieve crime stats for different neighborhoods online; and the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, which targets crime in apartment complexes, duplexes, and other multi-housing facilities. A Traffic Unit hotline has been added, and an online program for reporting crime and complaints is being studied.
Chief Bradshaw has expanded our outreach efforts, reaching out to both the Hispanic community and the Asian community. She developed the Second Chance Initiative Program, which is aimed at assisting youth who commit minor drug offenses. This program has had a positive impact on at-risk youth.
A graduate of the FBI National Academy, Chief Bradshaw also holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Drake University. She was selected by the American Legion as their 2008 National Police Officer of the Year.
Grand View University, with an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students, is an independent, liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
-30-
