On behalf of the Center for Homeland Defense & Security Naval Postgraduate School:
MONTEREY, Calif. – W.H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook, Chief of the Columbia Police Department in South Carolina, completed the Executive Leaders Program (ELP) at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) on August 23, 2019.
Holbrook has more than 28 years of law enforcement experience; 12 of which have been in executive and command positions. Under Chief Holbrook’s leadership, the Columbia Police Department (CPD) continues to implement organizational and operational reforms, which have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) for 21st Century Policing efforts.
Chief Holbrook earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Marshall University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Pfeiffer University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and National Executive Institute, the Police Executive Research Forum’s (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police, the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, Senior Executive Institute. Additionally, Chief Holbrook is a Furman University, Riley Institute Diversity Fellow and was the 2018 recipient of the Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement.
Class Photo Courtesy: FEMA Chief Holbrook: Top Row (End)
Among the many executive boards, Holbrook also serves on the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association (SCLEOA), FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Executive Board, United States Attorney’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), and the Atlanta-Carolinas High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Executive Board.
During the 10-month online and in-residence program, Chief Holbrook collaborated with homeland security officials from across the nation on current policy, strategy, and organizational design challenges. The ELP program consists of four modules beginning with foundational aspects of homeland security and the threats, proceeding to describe the nature of the threats, legal and cultural aspects of preventing and preparing for the threats, the collaborations necessary to effectively manage the information sharing, threat recognition, protection measures, and plans in preparation for action.
Thirty-one CHDS students participated in the graduation ceremony. They represent a snapshot of the homeland security enterprise, including professionals from the fields of emergency management, education, law enforcement, fire service, homeland security, public health, and city/county government.
Located at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), CHDS is the nation’s homeland security educator. The Center is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Preparedness Directorate, within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For information, visit www.chds.us.
ABOUT NPS: The mission of the Naval Postgraduate School is to provide unique advanced education and research programs in order to increase the combat effectiveness of the U.S. and Allied armed forces as well as enhance the security of the United States. For information, visit www.nps.edu.
ABOUT CPD: The department has received the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers’ Association (SCLEOA) SCANA Award of Excellence and has been awarded national accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). For additional information regarding the department’s services, employment opportunities and community-policing initiatives, visit https://columbiapd.net/.