Ernesto Morillo

Leadership Profile

• Accomplished Police Chief with over 28 years of dedicated public service, serving a community of 17,000 residents and 14,000 visiting students at a major university. Committed to department excellence, protection of citizen’s civil rights and quality of life, and curtailing racial bias. Strategist who defines the department vision and aligns internal structure, roles, and activities to support mission. Optimizing budget allocations to accommodate community policing needs, abundant ongoing training, equipment, and community relations programs. Elected “Chief of Chiefs” as President of the Essex County Chiefs Association, representing 36 Police Chiefs, Directors and federal Special Agents in-Charge serving 850,000 Essex County residents. Thoughtful leader with a history of developing industry leaders and university students across the state through a strong and diverse network. A recognized expert on leadership and policing topics in local, regional, and national forums.

Leadership effectiveness

• Recruited and built a younger, constituent-oriented organization by removing chronic under performers, setting clear goals and performance expectations, and providing energizing training and development opportunities. Improved union relationships and negotiations. Reinvigorated an organization demoralized by anti-policing community sentiment into one that proudly liaises with the community and its neighbors, and more closely aligns with constituent demographics.

Strategic vision and implementation

• Recognizing and acknowledging the needs of an organization before implementing practices that are designed to transform it. Aligning our mission and vision with that of the community we serve and the men and women that deliver that daily service. Effectively motivates the workforce to exceed departmental goals. Change management
• Utilizing knowledge, skills and experience to identify deficiencies and failures within the organization and then develop a plan to address those issues. Creating a plan that includes input from stakeholders and is carefully designed to measure progress with acceptable timelines. Empowering employees to be part of the implementation process while managing the change to bring about the success expected by all. A great motivator who shows people through empowerment and opportunity the talents and abilities which they often underutilize.

Fiscal accountability

• Overseeing $7.6 million in annual capital, operating, and infrastructure spending. Developed and implemented strategies to optimize a strained municipal budget allocation. Working with the team to reduce wasteful spending, identify federal/state grants, and leverage other resources such as collaborating with federal law enforcement agencies to support enhanced training and development activities and hire additional personnel. Constituent outreach
• Gained trust with community members critical of national and local policing trends by meeting with key constituents and working through the Community Police Collaborative to address issues and resolve conflict. Enriched community relations by encouraging police union interaction with the community through volunteerism and community support. Enhanced communication between police and faith-based community by creating a multi-faith chaplain program benefitting victims of crimes and officers alike. Implemented the first full-time co-response social services program by contracting with mental health service providers.

• President, Essex Chiefs of Police Association  Life Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  Member, New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police  Member, IACP-International Association of Chiefs of Police  NJ Chapter Trustee, National Organization of Chiefs of Police  Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Newark Chapter Alumni Brother of the Year  Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Commendation for Operation Tide  Inductee, Phi Omega Epsilon Honor Society  Fairleigh Dickinson University Chiefs Circle  Member, Samson Lodge #66 F & A.M.

FBI National Academy - National Command Course, Session #7 -Class Representative ● Buccino Leadership Institute- Seton Hall University, Graduate Certificate ● Certificate in Public Management- Fairleigh Dickinson University ● Certified Police instructor- NJ Police Training Commission ● Cultural Diversity, De-Escalation & Bias Reporting-Train the Trainer ● Field training Officer- Trained new officers in the functions of a patrol officer. ● Certification in Basic Police- New Jersey Police Training Commission. ● Certification in Basic Corrections-New Jersey Police Training Commission. ● N.J. State Assoc. of Chiefs of Police Leadership Program for Command and Leadership