Eric was a board member and officer of the POPAI when I became POPAI Treasurer. He was soon after elected president of POPAI, and I have come to believe he was the right person to preside over POPAI business at a critical time in Indiana Probation. It was a period that probation officers were a legislative target of special interests and membership had experienced a plateau. Eric’s leadership helped POPAI grow in statue before the Judicial Conference and other probation officers in Indiana, and as a result, POPAI’s working relationship today with the Judicial Center is more like a partnership for the probation issues, and our membership – which grew in that period – remains high.
In addition to his leadership on the POPAI board, he also took leadership in issues to probation officer safety, including creation of the Probation Officer Field Officer Academy in 2007. Having both participated in the blueprints for the program, and in the inaugural class, I found the training relevant and previously unfilled in our field. I know he is still working on continuing education for those that have completed this academy training (including policy issues for administrators).