Operational Readiness Program Opioid Use Disorder Crisis Training for Law Enforcement

Thomas B. Smith, M.S.​

Sergeant, Crisis Response Team – Baltimore City Police Department

​​Thomas B. Smith is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over 20 years of experience and a strong educational background, holding both a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Management from Johns Hopkins University. As Co-Founder and Training Consultant at Innovative Training Solutions LLC, Thomas develops comprehensive lesson plans and e-learning modules for police and public safety entities, with a special focus on supporting individuals with disabilities. He collaborates with organizations like Johns Hopkins University and The Arc of the United States to deliver high-quality training programs.

​​In addition to his consultancy work, Thomas serves as a Sergeant in the Crisis Response Team at the Baltimore City Police Department, where he develops Crisis Intervention Team training and teaches at the Police Academy. He also co-chairs the Department of Justice Consent Decree Training Implementation Committee, working closely with community partners to provide effective crisis support services. Recognized for his leadership,  Thomas has received several awards, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Officer of the Year Award and The Arc Public Service Award.​

Dawn N. Peake, M.S.

Co-Founder, Training Consultant – Innovative Training Solutions, LLC

Dawn N. Peake is an accomplished educator and training consultant with over 15 years of experience in instructional leadership. She holds a Master of Science in Educational Technology and Leadership from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Towson University. As Co-Founder and Training Consultant at Innovative Training Solutions LLC, Dawn develops comprehensive lesson plans and e-learning modules for non-profit organizations and law enforcement agencies, with a focus on supporting individuals with disabilities in the criminal justice system.

​In addition to her consulting work, Dawn serves as a Training Officer and Curriculum Specialist with the Baltimore City Police Department, where she writes and revises lesson plans for both entry-level and continuing education programs. She plays a key role in managing special training projects, including Crisis Intervention Training, and collaborates with community stakeholders to ensure the effectiveness of the curricula. Dawn’s passion for inclusive practices and her dedication to educational innovation make her a leader in her field.

Martin Bartness

Senior Principal – Center for Management & Technical Assistance, Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)

Martin Bartness is a Senior Principal at PERF in the Center for Management and Technical Assistance. With 25 years of service at the Baltimore Police Department, he retired as a Lt. Colonel/Deputy Chief of Patrol, overseeing operations across nine patrol districts. He also held executive roles, including Chief of Staff to the Police Commissioner and Commander of several key divisions. Martin worked closely with the Department of Justice to implement reform initiatives, focusing on policy, training, and accountability.

Throughout his career, Martin has been recognized for his leadership in crisis response, violence reduction, and police training. He developed transformative courses such as Ethical Policing Is Courageous (EPIC) and Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT). He holds
multiple degrees, including an MPH from Johns Hopkins University, and continues to serve the community as Board Chair of Project Pneuma.

Greg Weber

​Police Chief (Ret.) – Eden Prairie Police Department

​With over 31 years experience, Chief Greg Weber served as a field-training officer, patrol corporal, patrol sergeant, liaison sergeant, ERU team leader and team commander, support lieutenant, patrol lieutenant, investigations lieutenant, captain, and deputy chief before his promotion to chief of police in 2018.

Weber earned a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement from Minnesota State University-Mankato, a master’s degree in police leadership,  administration and education from the University of St. Thomas and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He currently maintains his Minnesota Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) License and is a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT).

Kenny Walsh

Chief of Police (Ret.) – Wenham Police Department

Kenneth “Kenny” Walsh is an accomplished law enforcement leader with more than three decades of experience in policing, public safety, and emergency management. He served as Chief of Police for the Wenham Police Department and has held leadership roles in accreditation, training, and policy development across multiple agencies. Throughout his career, Kenny has built strong partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies while championing community policing and collaborative public safety strategies.

Kenny’s career also includes serving as Chief of Police for institutions such as Wellesley College and Suffolk University, where he led large, diverse departments and oversaw operations ranging from criminal investigations and emergency management to Clery Act compliance and campus-wide safety initiatives. He holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Human Services/Criminal Justice, and has completed executive training programs with organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southern Police Institute. In addition to his leadership roles, Kenny has contributed as an adjunct faculty member and guest lecturer, with a strong focus on training,  preparedness, and real-world
application.

​Sean Newton

Chief of Police (Ret.) – Vance-Granville Campus Police Department

Sean Newton is a retired Chief of Police with more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, beginning his career in 1993 with the Broome County Sheriff’s Office in New York. Throughout his career, he served in a variety of specialized roles, including NY State General Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Crisis Negotiator, and member of the Special Response Team (SRT), where he spent 10 years and served as team leader for two. He was  later promoted to Detective and assigned to the Broome County Joint Narcotics Task Force, gaining extensive experience in complex investigations and high-risk operations.

After relocating to North Carolina in 2007, Sean went on to establish the Vance-Granville Campus Police Department, serving as Chief of Police from 2013 until his retirement in 2023. He is a North Carolina General Instructor and Specialized Hazardous Materials Instructor, teaching at Basic Law Enforcement Training academies and mentoring officers to become certified instructors. Sean continues to stay actively engaged in the field through  part-time work with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office training division and as an investigator for multiple state licensing boards, where he applies his extensive experience to support training, compliance, and public safety initiatives.

Dr. Butch Newkirk

POST Certification Coordinator, Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council

Dr. Butch Newkirk introduces our course. He’s currently the Director of the University of North Georgia, four-year Public Safety Academy and the Forsyth County and Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Academy, specializing in training and leadership development and setting a new standard for comprehensive law enforcement training at the collegiate level. A law enforcement professional with over 36 years of experience, he pioneered the first four-year Public Safety Academy in the U.S. in 2015 at the University of North Georgia.

He has worked closely with Georgia sheriffs, police chiefs, academy directors, and Georgia POST director Mike Ayers (Ret.) to advance statewide training. His leadership was instrumental in expanding Georgia’s basic training requirements from a traditional 12-week, 408-hour program to a rigorous 20-week, 810-hour curriculum modeled after UNG’s Forsyth SO Advanced Academy – greatly enhancing officer preparedness.

Seth Glass

Detective – Austin Police Department

Detective Seth Glass has over 12 years of experience in law enforcement, specializing in organized crime investigations. As a detective with the Austin Police Department, he has worked extensively in narcotics, gangs, and violent crime units. Detective Glass is also an experienced instructor in organized crime investigations, with a focus on undercover operations. He holds a BA in Political Science and Communications from the University of Nevada,  Reno, and previously served as an Infantry Sergeant in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

Mike Fickel

Detective – Austin Police Department

Detective Mike Fickel has over 19 years of experience in law enforcement, working with narcotics enforcement related teams for the past 10 years. As a detective with the Austin Police Department, he has worked extensively in narcotics enforcement related teams for the past 10 years. Detective Fickel has also been tasked with investigating narcotics-related overdose deaths, which have primarily been associated with fentanyl overdoses.