www.juniorpoliceacademy.org/staff/ -
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Published on: 7/15/2008
Last Visited: 7/15/2008
Phil LeConte: Chief Executive Officer
Co-Founder and Executive Officer of PoliceUSA.com, and former board member of the International Police Chaplains Conference Education Committee, Phil LeConte brings a unique range of professional and creative experience, as well as a rich personal history with law enforcement officers, to the creation of public safety educational programming.
Born and raised in Danville, Illinois, Phil has spent most of his 45 years in the company of law enforcers.The son of the late Robert LeConte, a twenty-year police veteran and former president of AAPO, Phil grew up surrounded by his father's fellow lawmen — providing him firsthand experience of the unique bond law enforcement officers share off-duty; as well as the anguish, thrill, frustration and spirit that follows them home.
After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1984 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Phil moved to Los Angeles, where he worked in network television for three years.
In 1988, Phil moved to Austin Texas, where he oversaw the creation and development of programming for the Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association.Phil was instrumental in establishing DPSOA's youth program Join the Move , offering young people alternatives to drugs.
Working extensively with the program's chairwoman Alice Sessions, wife of then-FBI director William Sessions, Phil traveled throughout Texas building corporate support for the statewide program.
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Phil left DPSOA in 1991 to devote one year to the Texas Highway Patrol Association, where he was integral to building the foundation for the Texas Highway Patrol Museum and Hall of Fame, which would eventually open in 1996.
It was in 1988 that Phil, along with his father (retired police officer Robert LeConte) and David Dierks, laid the groundwork for what would become the American Association of Police Officers, an organization that would reflect Phil's years of accumulated experience, both creative and law-enforcement-related.
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In 1992, Phil asked Los Angeles Chief of Police Daryl Gates, at the height of the calls for his resignation amidst the Rodney King riots, to be the keynote speaker for AAPO's annual conference in Dallas.
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"Gates' address received a warm reception from an audience filled primarily with young officers who came to meet and honor a legend in law enforcement," remembers Phil.
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One of the first programs Phil developed in conjunction with AAPO was the Junior Police Academy.Taking the place of DARE in many schools, JPA motivates young people to be outstanding citizens by learning about the role of law enforcement in society.
"We have created a program that, beyond merely responding to crime, empowers police officers to be a powerful, pro-active force in creating a safe, crime-free learning environment," said LeConte.
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Aside from his work with the law-enforcement community, Phil is also an accomplished writer.
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As a feature writer for magazines, Phil has conducted interviews with many creative artists and public figures, including Roy Scheider, Sally Fields, director Robert Benton and journalist Bill Moyers — who considered Phil's to be "my favorite interview I did on that tour."
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As a feature writer for magazines, Phil has conducted interviews with many creative artists and public figures, including Roy Scheider, Sally Fields, director Robert Benton and journalist Bill Moyers — who considered Phil's to be "my favorite interview I did on that tour."
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During his time in Los Angeles (1984 to 1988), Phil worked for Dick Clark Productions and was represented by the William Morris Agency as a screenwriter.Even in Hollywood, Phil found himself connected to the law enforcement community, working on such LEO-related shows as Hunter, 21 Jumpstreet, and Wiseguy.
Phil is also an accomplished photographer (Arkdog.com ). His work has been auctioned at benefits for such organizations as The American Cancer Society and The Austin Museum of Art.His photography was used on the cover of the Texas Alzheimer's Association's annual publication.
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