The DreamHour Speaker Series is made up of leaders within the local community, sharing their experiences and their hopes for creating a better tomorrow.
Joel Pope, San Antonio Police Officer who is assigned to the Chief’s Office Community Engagement Unit.
Joel spent much of his career as a training instructor at the San Antonio Police Academy. Joel knows effective, comprehensive training of law enforcement personnel translates into higher personal satisfaction for officers. This elevated personal satisfaction directly translates to better police services for our community members and builds trust between law enforcement and those they serve.
Joel has spent over a decade developing police training programs centered around enhancing quality law enforcement services as it relates to police legitimacy. These programs are based in realistic scenario training, with an emphasis on stress control techniques and performance phycology as it relates to critical police response. Joel supports officer career and life development by implementing Performance Recovery Optimization techniques, a first within the San Antonio Police Department. Based on Joel’s work with San Antonio Police psychological services, San Antonio was chosen and presented to the U.S. Congress as an example of health and wellness programs designed to provide successful law enforcement mental health and wellness strategies. Joel currently works with the International Association of Chiefs of Police as a training consultant working with major cities across the United States. Preparing police officers to be healthy and effective inspires Joel’s work due to the direct impact it has on the community they are serving.
Joel is a local, state and federal trained police instructor with 26 years of law enforcement experience. Joel has trained and provided training programs for numerous police agencies, corporate and community members alike. Joel works closely with the youth of San Antonio specifically with The Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio SMART Moves program and The Good Samaritan Center.
Joel holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Texas State University-[1996]; and a TCOLE Master Peace Officer License.
