Bruce Eric Ferris, MA, LMHC
VITAE July 2014
Address
Village Counseling Center
3919 Newberry Road, Ste. 5
Gainesville, FL 32607
(352) 246-0946(cell), 373-8189(office)
bruce@villagecouncelingcenter.net
EDUCATION
August, 2009
Master of Arts, Webster University,
Major: Mental Health Counseling, Graduated with Honors
September, 1993
Basic Law Enforcement, Kirkpatrick Institute of Public
Safety Police Academy, Santa Fe College, 726 hours
January, 1979
Bachelor of Science, State University of New York at
Buffalo
Major: Civil Engineering
WORK EXPERIENCE
January 2012 to Present:
Mental Health Counselor and State Certified Batterers Intervention Program (BIP)
facilitator, Village Counseling Center, 3919 West Newberry Road, Suite 5, Gainesville
Florida, 32607
 Conducting mental health therapy with individuals, couples and adolescent boys.
Including trauma healing, domestic violence, anger management, life issues and
goals.
 Developed a Domestic Violence Prevention Program to provide education and
support to children and adolescents so they can make healthy choices regarding
future relationships.
 Facilitating Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) groups.
 Teach a Domestic Violence Effects on Children class.
 Domestic Violence Assessments.
 Expert Witness Testimony
May 2011 to Present:
Part time Mental Health Counselor, Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network, 2100 NW
53rd Ave., Gainesville Florida
 Conducting mental health therapy for domestic violence survivors.
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January 1994 to September 2013:
Police Officer/Detective, Domestic Violence Unit, Gainesville Florida Police Department
 Reserve Police Officer, January 1994 to September 1997, working in Patrol
Division
 Full Time Police Officer/Corporal, September 1997 to January 2004, working in
Patrol Division
o Field Training Officer (FTO)
o Advance Law Enforcement Rifle Team (ALERT) member
o Noise Ordinance specialist
 Detective Corporal, January 2004 to September 2013, working in the Domestic
Violence Unit of the Investigations Bureau
o Investigating Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) crimes
 Lead detective on over 500 cases most resulting in arrests or
charges being filed.
o Training Police Officers about IPV crimes
o Conducting public outreach
o Advocating for victims of domestic violence
o Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainer
o Member of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team
March 2010 to August 2013:
Part time Mental Health Counselor and State Certified Batterers Intervention Program
(BIP) facilitator, Creative Counseling Services, 4010 Newberry Road, Gainesville FL
 Conducting mental health therapy with individuals, couples and adolescent boys.
Including trauma healing, domestic violence, anger management, substance
abuse, life issues and goals.
 Facilitating Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) groups for offenders.
January to August 2009:
Part time Intern Counselor with the Forensic Diversion Team at Meridian Behavioral
Healthcare, Gainesville Florida, while in graduate school.
 Conducted intake screening for new clients and facilitated groups for substance
abuse clients.
August 1986 to September 1997:
Owner/Manager Ferris Importers Inc., Gainesville Florida
 Managed all facets of this wholesale business in the jewelry trade
January 1981 to August 1986:
Traffic Engineer, City of Gainesville Florida
 Engineer working on all aspects of the city transportation system
January 1979 to January 1981:
Transportation Engineer, EWGCC, St. Louis Missouri
 Engineer responsible for long range computer modeling of traffic demand
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PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
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Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), MH 11930, State of Florida, Division
of Medical Quality Assurance, Tallahassee, FL
September 2010, Florida State Certified Batterers Intervention Program (BIP)
Facilitator
January 1994, Certified Police Officer, Florida Criminal Justice Training
Commission
Certification for use of the Domestic Violence Danger Assessment and Levels of
Danger Scoring System, Dr. Jackie Campbell, John Hopkins University, 2014
AWARDS
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February 22, 2014: Certificate of Appreciation in “Recognition of Valuable
Contributions to the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training Program of North
Central Florida”
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April 13, 2011: Awarded a special tribute award for the Law Enforcement Officer
of the Year for the State of Florida, for National Crime Victim Week by State
Attorney General Pam Bondi, in Tallahassee Florida, for the year 2010
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Recipient of the University of Florida Police Department Police Service Award
September 15, 2011, for training officers on the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
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Honored as the Big Brother of the Year 2007-2008 by the Mid Florida Big
Brother/Big Sister program for his friendship with his Little Brother Kenny
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Honored as the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 2004 by the Peaceful
Paths Domestic Violence Abuse Network, Gainesville Florida
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES and ACTIVITIES
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American Mental Health Counselors Association
Fraternal Order of Police
Member of Gainesville’s Domestic Violence Task Force
Member of the 8th Judicial Circuit of Florida Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team
Board member of the Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women
Member of the Alachua County High Risk Domestic Violence Team
Volunteer Therapist with the University Of Florida, College Of Medicine, Mobile
Outreach Clinic, part-time, 2014
Member of the University of Florida Male Leadership Committee, 2013/2014
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Planning committee member for the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 annual Sexual
Battery Conference, Gainesville Florida
Planning committee member Men on Board Against Domestic Violence, Gainesville
Florida, 2013/2014
Member of the Gainesville Mental Health Consortium, 2012
Member of the 2012 United Way Community Wide Strategic Planning, Safety
Committee
Working group leader for the Domestic Violence Coordinated Community Response for
local law enforcement developed a best practices procedural guide, 2009.
2007-2008: A member of the statewide Domestic Violence Needs Assessment Group,
organized by the Office of the State Courts Administrator, Office of Court Improvement.
EXPERT WITNESS TESTOMY and CONSULTING
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February 25, 2009: Designated a Domestic Violence Expert Witness in testimony
before Judge Joseph Smith, Levi County Criminal Court, Florida Eighth Circuit
Court
May 11, 2010: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony before Judge Davis,
Alachua County, Florida Eighth Circuit Court
January 20, 2012: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony before Judge
Sieg, Alachua County, Florida Eighth Circuit Court
August 29, 2012: Certified as a Domestic Violence Expert Witness by Judge
Green, Alachua County, Florida Eighth Circuit Court
October 24, 2012: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony before Judge
Green, Alachua County, Florida Eighth Circuit Court
December 14, 2012: Domestic Violence and Mental Health Expert Witness
testimony before Judge Davis, Florida Eighth Circuit Court, Juvenile Division
December 2012 to March 2013, Expert Witness Consulting to the law firm of
DeThomasis & Buchanan, P.A., 1800 North Main Street, Gainesville, Florida
32609, Re: State of Florida vs. Briana Taylor Obannon Blackburn, Criminal
Court, Florida Fourth Circuit Court
August 6, 2012, I gave audio testimony under oath in the USMC Board of Inquiry
for Captain Robert A. Brooks, resulting in his discharge from the USMC. The
hearing took place in Parris Island Joint Law Center, South Carolina. I consulted
on the case with Chief Trial Counsel Captain Jenna E. Reed, USMC.
September 20, 2013: Domestic Violence and Mental Health Expert Witness
testimony in Civil Court before Judge Davis, Florida Eighth Circuit Court, Levy
County, Chenery case. Also expert witness consulting to attorney S. Scott
Walker Esquire, 527 E. University Ave., Gainesville Florida, 32602.
November 18, 2013: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony in Civil Court
before Judge Nilon, Florida Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, Sidhu/Thind
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case. Also expert witness consulting to attorney Kathleen C. Fox, PO Box 1930,
Alachua Florida, 32616.
January 18, 2014, Florida Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, Juvenile
Division. Testified as an Expert Witness in the case of V. Greco, D. Greco and K.
Greco before Judge Nilon.
February 4, 2014, Florida Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, before Judge
Colaw. Testified as an Expert Witness in Domestic Violence and PTSD in the
case of Sweitzer vs. Sweitzer.
April 24, 2014, Florida Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, before Judge
Brasington. Testified as an Expert Witness in Domestic Violence in the Miller vs.
Muenchausen trial.
May 21, 2014, Florida Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, before Judge Nilon.
Testified as a Domestic Violence Expert Witness in a civil trial in the Morgan vs.
Luca case.
PRESENTATIONS
2008 to Ongoing: Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Trauma and
Enforcement of the Law University of Florida Law School class and Law Clinic several
times each year
2009 to Ongoing: Teaching Conflict Resolution and De-escalation class for new
members of the local Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), Law Enforcement and Correction
Officers, and facilitating role plays, three times each year, Gainesville Florida
2012 to Ongoing: Impact of Domestic Violence on Children training for new Guardian
Ad Litum (GAL) volunteers, Gainesville Florida, several times per year
February 2014: Presented to the Forensic Team, therapists and case workers, at
Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Gainesville Florida, Domestic Violence and Trauma
February 2014: Presented to assistant state attorney’s and victim advocates, Domestic
Violence and Trauma, at the Florida Eighth Circuit Court State Attorney’s Office
December 2013: Guest speaker at the Men on Board Against Domestic Violence rally at
the Bo Didley Plaza in downtown Gainesville Florida.
November 2013: Presented at the Seeds of Violence Panel at the Bob Graham Center,
University of Florida, a forum on trauma and intimate partner violence and its effects on
children.
July 2013: Presented Communication and Conflict Resolution for Intimate Partner
Relationships to members of the LGBTQ community sponsored by Peaceful Paths
Domestic Abuse Network at the Alachua County downtown library
May 2013: Presented as part of an expert forum at the Annual Sexual Battery
Conference; Domestic Violence Trauma from Childhood to Adulthood, Gainesville
Florida
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March 2013: Presented at the Injunction Update for Victim Advocates at the Alachua
County Sheriff’s Office
January and March 2013: Presented criminal fatality cases at the 8th Judicial Circuit of
Florida Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team
October 2012: Domestic Violence Trauma: From a Police Detective and Mental Health
Therapist Point of View at the 12th Annual Break the Silence on Violence Conference in
Ocala Florida
October 2012: Intimate Partner Violence, Trauma/Investigations/Therapy at the
University of Florida graduate class Family Violence, Counselor Education Department
May 2012: Intimate Partner Violence panel at the Alachua County Family Justice Center
Courthouse as part of the PFSF FLAG meeting to judges, attorneys and other
community partners
May 2012: Domestic Violence, Trauma and BIP to prisoners at the Alachua County Jail
as part of an Alachua County Library Health Information Education project
January 2012: Domestic Violence and Criminal Investigations training for the police
officers of the High Springs Florida Police Department
January 2012: Intimate Partner Violence and Police Investigations at the LGBT
conference, at the Pride Community Center in Gainesville Florida
November 2011: Domestic Violence: From the Police Investigation to the Trauma, a
Detective and Therapist’s Point of View presented during the clinical track at the annual
conference of the Florida Coalition for Children (FCC), Tampa Florida
September 2011: Best Practice and the Use of Role Plays in CIT Training International
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) conference in Virginia Beach Virginia
September 2011: Domestic Violence and Childhood Trauma Alachua County School
Board Middle School, and High School guidance counselors’ multiday forum.
May 2011: Interviewing Children at Domestic Violence Crime Scenes regional Domestic
Violence conference sponsored by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office
February 2011: Domestic Violence, Trauma and Police Investigations University of
Florida’s Counselors for Social Change
January 2011: Domestic Violence and Trauma Healthy Family case workers,
Gainesville Florida
October 2010: Domestic Violence and Police Investigations University of Florida’s
School of Pharmacy students
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October 2010: Domestic Violence, Trauma and Police Investigations University of
Florida’s Counselor Education Program students
July 2010: Crisis De-Escalation and Reflective Communications Skills Northeast Florida
Education Consortiums (NEFEC) Annual Conference, Gainesville Florida
May 2010: New Legal Issues and Local Practices in the Domestic Violence Front
Gainesville Sexual Battery Conference
April/May 2010: Consultant for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office; developed a
Domestic Violence training program about the complete investigation and
understanding of Intimate Partner Violence for the Sheriff’s sworn and civilian
employees.
February 2010: Consultant/presenter for the FCADV on the InVEST domestic violence
project helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and victim advocates,
Orlando Florida.
October 2009: Conflict Resolution and De-escalation CAFVIC Battered Women’s
Program in Baton Rouge Louisiana
2008-2009: Conflict Resolution and De-escalation Florida Coalition Against Domestic
Violence (FCADV), developed and taught the class for the staff at the 42 domestic
violence shelters around the state of Florida.
June 2009: Law Enforcement Interviewing Children at Domestic Violence Crime Scenes
National Battered Women’s Justice Project (BWJP) Conference in St. Paul Minnesota
November 2007: Domestic Violence Santa Fe College student safety forum
September 2007: The Resources Continuum for Domestic Violence Victims in Our
Community, panel participant at the two day seminar sponsored by the Child Advocacy
Center and Peaceful Paths entitled “Community Collaboration to Address Violence in
the Family”, Gainesville Florida
June 2007: Domestic Violence Youth Summit sponsored by the 8th Circuit SAO and the
Department of Juvenile Justice, Gainesville Florida
April 2007: Domestic Violence and Police Investigations GPD Violent Crime Summit,
Gainesville Florida
TRAINING ATTENDED
July 2014: What Attorneys and DV/SA Experts Can and Should Expect From One
Another, Webinar, Kirsten Faisal and Tim Gruenke, supported by U.S. Department of
Justice, Office on Violence Against Women
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June 2014: Understanding the Role of Experts in Immigration Proceedings Involving
Victims of Battering, part 2, Webinar, Noel Busch-Armendariz and Edna Yang,
supported by U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women
June 2014: Forensic Evaluations and Expert Witness Issues, AMHCA Clinical Issues
Webinar Series
June 2014: Addiction and the Family: A Systemic Healing Perspective, Dr. Kelly Aissen,
North Central Florida Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Gainesville Florida
May 2014: Strangulation & Alternate Light Source by Debra Holbrook BSN, RN, SaneA, FNA A/P, at the ACSO Gainesville Florida
May 2014: Attended the 33rd annual Sexual Battery Conference which included keynote
speakers and breakout sessions on related trauma topics, Gainesville Florida.
April 2014: Neuroscience: User Friendly or too complex for practice?, by Dr. Pat Hurff,
NCFAMFT, Gainesville, Florida
March 2014: Sequential Intercept Model training, by Leah Vale, MA, Forensic Program
Director, MBH, Gainesville, Florida
February 2014: The Art of Caring: Fostering Balance for Clients and Counselors
Through Intention and Awareness, by Dr. Linda Goodwin, NCFAMFT, Gainesville
Florida
January 2014: Domestic Violence Danger Assessment Certification, Dr. Jackie
Campbell, John Hopkins University, Gainesville Florida
June 20, 2013: Attended a Webinar on Domestic Violence and Expert Witness
Testimony led by attorney Christopher Mallios from AEquitas Resources
June 2013: One day seminar on Domestic Violence Fatality Review training, Gainesville
Florida
June 2013: HIV/AIDS Education taught by Prepare for Success, LMHC requirement
June 2013: Prevention of Medical Errors taught by Prepare for Success, LMHC
requirement
May 2013: Department of Children and Families Dependency Court Process training,
Gainesville Florida
October through December 2012: Graduate course at Webster University on
Brief/Solution Focused Family Counseling, Ocala Florida
September 2012: Human Trafficking in North Central Florida, Indicators and Action Tips
Gainesville, Florida
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August 2012: Two day seminar at the National Strangulation Training Institute in San
Diego California; Strangulation Train the Trainer Course
August 2012: Two day seminar at the National Strangulation Training Institute in San
Diego California; Developing the Strangulation Expert Witness Course
July 2012: Department of Children and Families Dependency Court Process training,
Gainesville Florida
July 2012: Dr. Jim Probert on Trauma, Mindfulness and Recovery, Gainesville Florida
June 2012: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Suicide, Civilian and Law
Enforcement, Gainesville Florida
May through July 2012: Graduate course at Webster University on Marriage and Family
Counseling, Ocala Florida
May 2012: Sexual Battery Conference, Strength and Resilience: A Collaboration in
Healing, Gainesville Florida
May 2012: Completion of Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, TF-CBT
Web, presented by Medical University of South Carolina
April 2012: Hate Crimes training presented by the Anti-Defamation League, Gainesville
Florida
April 2012: The Future of Batterer Intervention Programs – The Importance of EvidenceBased Practice and Movement Affiliation, A Battered Women’s Justice Project Webinar
Training
March 2012: Laws and Rules for LMHC in Orlando Florida at Webster University
campus
February 2012: The Injunction for Protection Process for Non-Lawyers training at the
Alachua County Sherriff’s Office
February 2012: Domestic Violence Core Competency Advocate Training (30 hours) at
Peaceful Paths Abuse Network, Gainesville Florida
November 2011: Florida Coalition for Children (FCC) Annual Conference, Trauma and
PTSD training, Tampa Florida
October 2011: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training, Gainesville Florida
October 2011: The Secret is Out: 11th Annual Domestic Violence Conference, Ocala
Florida
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October 2011: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Group Crisis Intervention,
Gainesville Florida
September 2011: International Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) conference in Virginia
Beach, Virginia, various trainings including several on PTSD
September 2011: FCADV Invest Regional, Domestic Violence Strangulation, Gainesville
Florida
June 2011: FCADV Inside the Looking Glass: A Battering Relationship and the
System’s Response, Gainesville Florida
June2011: FCADV Saving Lives: Creating Safer Communities, Gainesville Florida
May 2011: Through the Eyes of a Child: Witnessing Intimate Partner Violence training,
Gainesville Florida
May 2011: Sexual Battery Conference, Current Trends in Sexual Violence Prevention
and Intervention, Gainesville Florida
April 2011: Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support, Critical Incident Stress
Management (CISM), Gainesville Florida
March 2011: Trauma, PTSD and Trauma Grief for Clinicians, Duane Bowers,
Gainesville Florida
March 2011: Women Who Use Violence, Gainesville Florida
March 2011: FCADV Best Practices for the Supervision of Batterers, Gainesville Florida
March 2011: FCADV Child and Youth Institute, Orlando Florida
January 2011: Department of Children and Families, Trauma Informed Care, presented
by Robert Edelman and Rosa West, Gainesville Florida
December 2010: Psychosexual Assessment and Treatment of Children and
Adolescence , presented by Robert Edelman, Hillsborough County Florida
November 2010: Institute for Survivors of Sexual Violence: 50 hours of Clinical
Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution training, Level 1 and 2, Orlando Florida
October 2010: Creating Change: Collaborating to End Intimate Partner Violence,
Gainesville Florida
September 2010: Domestic Violence Batterer Accountability, Pinellas County Florida
August 2010: Batterers Intervention Program: Substance Abuse Specific to Domestic
Violence, Indian Shores Florida
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June 2010: Working with Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice
System, Gainesville Florida
May 2010: Intimate Partner Violence: When Home is Where the Hurt Is, Gainesville
Florida
May 2010: Sexual Battery Conference: Examining Societal and System Revictimization, Gainesville Florida
April 2010: Stress Management and Law Enforcement Officer: A Front Line Response,
Dr. Tina Jaeckle, Gainesville Florida
March 2010: CJST Human Diversity, Discriminatory Profiling, Professional Traffic Stops,
Domestic Violence, and Juvenile Sexual Offender Investigations, Gainesville Florida
February 2010: Creating a Process of Change for Men Who Batter: The Duluth Model,
comprehensive three day training, St. Petersburg Florida
June 2009: Lethality Assessment Program (LAP), Train the Trainer Session training by
Dave Sergeant and Michelle Petony from the Maryland Network against Domestic
Violence, Gainesville Florida
May 2009: Sexual Battery Conference, Challenging Interpersonal Violence, Creating
Safe Connections in Communities, Gainesville Florida
May 2009: Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training, 40 hours, Gainesville Florida
April 2009: Enhancing Our Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence,
Graham Barnes, Battered Women’s Justice Project, Gainesville Florida
March 2009: Alcohol Facilitated Rape Investigations, Florida Eighth Circuit State
Attorney’s Office, Gainesville Florida
March 2009: Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment: Implications for Safety, Dr.
Jacqueline Campbell from John Hopkins Medical School, Gainesville Florida
March 2009: Retired Judge Raymond T. McNeal at the Alachua County Family and Civil
Justice Center: A New Look at Domestic Violence
January 2009: Harassment Training and Investigations, Gainesville Police Department
December 2008: At the University of Florida Dr. Bobby Smith Director of FORTE,
Foundation for Officers Recovering from Traumatic Events (FORTE)
June 2008: Domestic Violence Summit; training in Palatka Florida
March 2007: Forum at the University of Florida College Of Law about Immigrant
Domestic Violence
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January 2007: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence: A Community Discussion Peaceful
Paths, outreach office Anna Guest-Jelley Director, Violence Prevention Program,
Gainesville Florida
May 2006: Federal Domestic Violence Instructor Training Program-FLETC/BWJP, (40
hours) Tulsa Oklahoma
April 2006: Kinesic Interview & Interrogation Technique Class, Glenn Foster, Gainesville
Florida
March 2006: Domestic Violence Summit: Social Change, Looking Back, Moving
Forward, Gainesville Florida
March 2005: Advocating for Battered Mothers, Battered Women Justice Project, New
Orleans Louisiana
October 2004: Closing the Gap: Men Stopping Violence, Atlanta Georgia
August 2004: DV Summit: Building a Peaceful Community,
June 2004: Detective and New Investigator Training, Orlando Florida
March 2004: Breaking the Silence: Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence
May 2000: Criminal Case Preparation and Court Preparation, Gainesville Florida
May 2000: Sexual Battery Conference, Challenging Interpersonal Violence: Creating
Safe Connections in Communities, Gainesville Florid
Law Enforcement Career Development and Training
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Complete list of police training available upon request.
Partial list of specialized training:
o 01/26/2012: Communication and Interpersonal Skills
o 12/02/2010: Child Abuse Investigations
o 02/12/2009: Elder Abuse Investigation
o 01/22/2009: Diversity Awareness
o 09/02/2008: Baker Act, Officer Survival Series
o 07/10/2008: Domestic Violence and IA Review
o 03/21/2007: Diversity Awareness
o 03/01/2006: Domestic Violence and Juvenile Sex Offenders
o 11/08/2004: Peaceful Paths Domestic Violence
o 03/04/2003: Juvenile Sex Offenders and Domestic Violence
o 05/21/2002: Human Diversity
o 05/21/2000: Creating Safe Connections with Communities
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