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.
Phil’s other accomplishments with the DPSOA include successfully petitioning Phillip Morris and Miller Beer, sponsors of 1989’s famous “Biggest Party in Texas History” [five large festival sites spread across Texas], to employ off-duty state troopers to monitor drinking laws and ensure public safety during the event.
Shortly after taking over as interim editor for Texas DPSOA Magazine (cir. 6,600) in 1989, the publication was recognized as the “Best Police Association Magazine” by Washington Crime News Services. Phil’s in-depth interviews for the publication included Texas Attorney General Dan Morales, and state legislator and future Governor of Texas, Rick Perry.
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.
The organization quickly asserted a willingness to take on bold stands. 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. “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.
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.
“On school campuses where JPA has been introduced, the drop in crime has been remarkable.” The statistical drop in violent crimes on school campuses was attested to by reporter Christine Fletcher of KEYE News Austin in her 2002 profile of the program. (View her report on PoliceUSA.com.)
Aside from his work with the law-enforcement community, Phil is also an accomplished writer. His article, “The Psychologist as TV Guide,” published in the April1986 issue of Psychology Today magazine, has been cited in various professional journals, as well as in the textbook Values and Knowledge by Terrance Brown.
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.”
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 <http://www.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.
David Dierks: Chief Operating Officer
The son of a career military officer with extensive government safety credentials, David Dierks has guided our organization’s finances through its humble beginnings to the stability and leadership it now enjoys. After graduating from the University of Illinois, David worked in one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious law firms where he gained a legal and financial education that has proven invaluable to our
growth.
June Mellon: Project Manager
June has been with American Association of Police Officers since its conception. A guiding force in its development, she has been instrumental in building strong relationships with educators and law enforcement leaders, as well as taking our enrollment to new heights. Her optimism and enthusiasm are a constant source of strength as we face each new challenge.
Paul Kutac: Administrative Officer
Paul has been with our organization for many years. He brings a wealth of accounting and administrative skills to our organization’s financial department.
