Police chief receives level two certification

By Staff
Melissa Cason
PHIL CAMPBELL – Phil Campbell Police Chief Merrell Potter was recognized by the Phil Campbell Town Council this week for achieving the level two certification from UPACE.
Potter is one of 154 police chiefs in the state who have reached the level two certification, which requires 80 hours of coursework to complete.
"It's a continuing education thing," Potter said.
Potter has been working in the UPACE program since becoming police chief seven years ago. He has already reached the level one certification, which requires 40 hours of coursework to complete.
"There are three conferences during the year where the courses are offered," Potter said. "I try to go twice per year but some years, I may have only gotten to go once because of our small department."
Potter said the certification helps him with his job by giving me more skills to effectively run the department, and to give him more confidence in his own abilities as well as give his officers more confidence in him.
"It affects the way I do my job because I have the skills, but it also helps the officers because they know I have the training behind me as well," Potter said.
He received a plaque and certificate for this training, which was presented to him during the last Alabama Association for Chiefs of Police meeting held in Mobile last month.
The courses are offered as a partnership between the chief's association, the University of North Alabama, Troy University and Jacksonville State University. The program covers skills vital to running an effective police department, which includes leadership, human relations, personnel issues and communications.
Potter has plans to continue in the program
. There are two more certification levels: level three, which requires 160 hours of coursework, and level four, which requires 240 hours of coursework.