On Sept. 17, the Chapin Police Department was honored with the FBI-LEEDA Agency Trilogy Award.

LEEDA stands for Law Enforcement Executive Development Association and is a private, nonprofit organization that maintains the purpose of improving law enforcement management. This award is presented to those who display qualities of outstanding leadership and Chapin is the second department in South Carolina to receive it this year.

Jacques S. Battiste, executive director of FBI-LEEDA, spoke about this accomplishment and the impact the town’s officers have on the community.

According to Corrine Dolan with Vault Communications, FBI-LEEDA’s public relations firm, “The command staff completed a three-part leadership series that educated officers on best leadership practices in diversity and inclusion, bias, public trust, transformational leadership, social and emotional intelligence and more.”

Thomas W. Griffin, Chapin’s Chief of Police, shared how one of the most insightful topics in the training process involved DISC Leadership Behavioral Management.

He said, “DISC is a behavior assessment tool based on four primary personality traits: Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S) and Conscientiousness (C). These traits are used to understand how people behave, communicate, and work with others, particularly in leadership and team environments. Knowing that every person is different in their own way, it should come as no surprise that what may work in leading one individual can change drastically when dealing with another individual who may possess different ideologies and influences. The period of instruction really allowed us to develop as leaders, understanding that at the end of the day, each individual is able to learn, lead and follow differently.”

Griffin, who has a background as a Marine and major crime detective, was appointed Chief of Police in January of 2022. When discussing what motivates him and his respect for law enforcement, he said, “I use the quote ‘your network is your net worth’ often and it rings true to every aspect of my life. From working hand in hand every day with the officers of this department, and being able to see them develop and grow, not only as an officer, but as an individual, it really makes me appreciate this position.”

Additionally, Griffin noted that while it’s not an employment requirement, every current officer working for the Chapin Police Department also resides in the town. He reiterated how this important fact displays the high level of commitment shown to the community they serve.