Employee Relations Security
Resume:
James A. Bernier, CPP
** ******* *****, *******, ** 06010
********@*****.***
October 11, 2020
In regards to: Diamond Resorts, Director of Security -Virginia Beach To Whom It May Concern;
Due to the acquisition of my current employer’s business, I am looking for a new opportunity and am willing to consider relocating. I have followed Diamond Resorts for a while now and feel my experience and leadership abilities would be an asset to your resorts. Over the last thirty-one years, my professional experience, training and business acumen have allowed me to grow into my current role as the Connecticut Regional Manager for Summit Security Services in Hartford, Connecticut. Within my position at Summit Security’s Connecticut Regional Office, I am responsible for managing and overseeing all physical security assets, throughout Summit’s contract sites across the State. This encompasses over eighty locations with over 450 security officers totaling 15,000 hours per week with a regional operating budget of $21 million. In this role, I continue to work with staff and clients to provide quality services while maintaining a positive budget profile. Recently, I have attained the title of Certified Protection Professional through the ASIS International. Also, I am a Police Commissioner on the Bristol Police Department’s Board of Police Commissioners appointed by Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu Prior to this, I was the Security Operations Manager at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for four years. During this time, I reorganized the manner in which Security Operations were conducted throughout the organization and designed the current operating structure of their Security Department. This allowed for my team to increase the level of professionalism and dedication towards patient, family and staff satisfaction while directly contributing to an overhead Security budget reduction of almost twenty five percent. My professional management and supervisory career began in the United States Marine Corps and within the City of Hartford Police Department where I maintained positions of professionalism and integrity in multiple assignments. In August of 2013, after twenty years of service, I retired from the Hartford Police Department as a Captain. In my final area of command I was tasked with controlling all aspects of policing within my assigned geographical district including but not limited to: controlling overtime costs, preparing an annual budget, managing uniformed police personnel resources and conducting & overseeing investigations ranging from larceny to homicide.
During my tenure with the HPD, I held command and supervisory level positions within every bureau of the Police Department. Serving as the Police Academy Commander and Certified Law Enforcement Instructor at the Hartford Police Academy, I trained hundreds of police recruits and certified police officers in multiple disciplines.
Also, for a six-year period, I held the position as the Commander of the Emergency Response Team (ERT- SWAT) which is also a part of a regional SWAT task force. Within this role, I safely commanded over 250 active SWAT operations along with coordinating multiple executive protection details in collaboration with the United States Secret Service for both the President and Vice President of the United States of America while they visited the City of Hartford.
Further, from July of 2007, through February of 2011, I was assigned duties as the Department Advocate for the Chief of Police where my role was to serve as the Chief’s prosecutor, responsible for controlling all aspects of the employee relations and discipline process from retraining to the termination of employees. During this time, I streamlined the department’s disciplinary protocol while conforming to mandated labor relations guidelines in accordance with the union’s collective bargaining agreement. Prior to this, I commanded both the Crime Scene Unit and Juvenile Investigative Divisions within the Detective Bureau. My tactical experience in the area of SWAT has led me to author multiple police department and hospital policies on Active Shooter Protocols and High Risk Response while implementing a full curriculum training program for law enforcement, private business and hospital personnel. This training curriculum has led to my authoring and implementing the City of Hartford’s and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center’s training programs for Workplace Violence Survival. In this area, I conducted training seminars and security assessments for local law enforcement, hospitals and businesses, educating staff on how to react and survive in an active shooter or workplace violence incident. To date, I have trained well over 2,000 employees with this program.
Throughout my career, I have developed a passion for professionalism and look forward to fostering partnerships and working with a new group of professionals. I also bring forward the proven ability to manage and lead personnel while being able to maintain open lines of communication, enabling me to accomplish organizational objectives, particularly during high stress emergency situations. Along with this letter, you will find my updated resume which is only a written synopsis of my accomplishments and professional achievements. Please know that I am a hardworking individual who will be responsive and dedicated to the needs of Diamond Resorts, as well as their guests, staff and strategic business partners. Respectfully submitted,
James A. Bernier, CPP
James A. Bernier, CPP
59 Orleans Drive
Bristol, CT 06010
860-***-**** ********@*****.***
Summary of
qualifications
Summit Security Services, Connecticut Regional Manager; January 2018 – Present
Lead a regional security office and large field security force at the highest industry standards
Prepare and maintain a business plan and budget which addresses staffing, overhead costs, operational expenditures, capital expenses and asset management in excess of $20 million
Ensure that corporate goals and policies are implemented through an effective field organization
Establish productive client partnerships, maintaining on-call client responsiveness
Manage regional office operations and oversee recruitment, training, quality control, supervision, and discipline at more than eighty locations operating over 14,000 hours per week
Measure and continuously improve operational efficiencies
Member, ASIS International, Certified Protection Professional Police Commissioner, City of Bristol, Connecticut Police Department; September 2019 – Present
Assist in the oversight and monitoring of Police operations, budgeting, staffing and allocation of resources with the Police Department. This is an appointed, volunteer/unpaid position. Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Security Operations Manager; January 2014 – January 2018
Responsible for the oversight of physical security operations, emergency preparedness planning and loss prevention for multiple hospital facilities while maintaining patient, staff and visitor safety. Mitigating safety risks of child abduction, workplace violence, fire and other hazards through risk assessments, training and education
Created the current operating structure of the Security Department, hired and trained all new staff resulting in quality of service with considerable budget savings
Designed & implemented a full security training curriculum for new staff and established emergency response protocols and policies to maintain hospital and school safety Secure Workplace Consulting LLC; President & CEO February 2016 – February 2019
Conducted workplace violence survival training and security assessment consulting
Provided on-going guidance for multiple businesses & corporations in the area of Active Shooter awareness and business continuity
Plymouth CT Police Department, Patrol Officer; September 2013 – January 2014
Enforce local, state and federal laws while engaging the public and ensuring citizen safety Hartford Police Department, Hartford, CT; March 28, 1994 – August 27, 2013 (Captain, Retired)
Responsible for managing and supervising police operations including but not limited to the allocation of patrol units, criminal investigations and deployment/scheduling of police resources, along with drafting an annual budget and managing/controlling overtime costs.
Commander of the Emergency Response Team (SWAT). Developed tactical plans and deployed SWAT while managing high risk tactical and dignitary protection situations within the City of Hartford and surrounding communities as part of the Regional SWAT Task Force.
Authored & implemented multiple Police Department policies. United States Marine Corps, July 1989 – June 1993
Special Operations Training Group - Okinawa, Japan ’92 – ‘93
Instructor/Squad Leader – Small Boat Platoon, Trained Marines in Beach Reconnaissance, Small Boat Deployment, Hand to Hand Combat and Nautical Navigation Second Reconnaissance Battalion – Camp Lejeune, NC ’89 – ‘92
Radio Operator - Recon Team; Persian Gulf War, Combat Veteran Education
Training
Central Texas College
Police Administration, Criminal Investigation, Crimes in America Marine Corps Institute
Fundamentals of Marine Corps Leadership; Terrorism Counteraction and Reconnaissance Marine Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety’s Annual Training Conference
National Association of Safety Professionals: Workplace Violence Prevention Specialist (VPS) Hartford Police Department and Connecticut Police Officers Standards & Training Council
Hartford Police Recruit Academy, Critical Incident Management, Police Supervisor’s Course, Basic & Advanced SWAT, Police Internal Affairs, Interview & Interrogation, Firearms Instructor, Basic Crime Scene, Street Gang Identification and Narcotics Investigations National Tactical Officers Association
SWAT Supervision & Command Decision-Making, Terrorism & War Seminar Smith & Wesson Academy
Tactical Scoped Rifle, Patrol Rifle Instructor, Advanced Patrol Rifle Instructor Awards Hartford Police Department
Distinguished Service Medal, Merit Award (x4), Exemplary Service (x8), Unit Citation (x2), Supervisor Employee of the Month, Presidential Debate Decoration, White House Communications Agency Certificate of Appreciation, Connecticut State Police Unit Citation, Courage of Connecticut Award (2000 & 2002), Community Court Judicial Recognition (Judge Raymond Norko), Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford Community Service Award United States Marine Corps
Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Saudi Arabia Campaign Medal (x3), Kuwaiti Campaign Medal (x2), Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Marine Corps Letter of Appreciation (x2), U.S. Navy/Marine Corps Gold Parachutist Wings, U.S. Army Parachutist Wings, Honorable Discharge Canadian Airborne Regiment Para-Decent Wings Recommendations and references will be gladly forwarded upon request
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