Hillard Heintze Expands its Law Enforcement Consulting Team as Demand for Police Reform Surges Across the United States

Rapidly Growing Firm Promotes a Key Leader, Recruits a Senior Law Enforcement Expert and Places a Ph.D. and Scholar at the Center of the Practice's Communications

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Hillard Heintze

Sep 06, 2016, 08:47 ET

CHICAGO, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As mayors, city councils, police leaders and community advocates across the United States demand reforms in police practices and higher standards for police accountability, Hillard Heintze has seen a significant increase in demand for its highly acclaimed law enforcement consulting services. For FY 2016, Hillard Heintze is on track to realize a 220% increase in demand for this highly specialized consulting service.

As such, Hillard Heintze is aggressively recruiting the nation's leading experts for its Law Enforcement Consulting practice and expanding the roles of key leaders within this rapidly growing division. "For the last five years, we've seen a strong and sustained escalation in calls for transparency and accountability from our nation's police and law enforcement agencies," says CEO Arnette Heintze. Heintze says the firm will continue investing in this critical area to expand its team's talent and continue to accelerate the business's strong track record of growth.

Today, Hillard Heintze announced its promotion of Debra K. Kirby, Esq. to Senior Vice President of the Law Enforcement Consulting practice as well as its recruitment of Rick Tanksley as a Vice President based on his extensive knowledge and expertise in organizational change and behavior management and long-term progressive record as a police chief. The firm also announced the appointment of Dr. Sarah Eilefson, Ph.D. as its newest Director of Communications.

In her new position as Senior Vice President of Hillard Heintze's Law Enforcement Consulting practice, Kirby will help lead the firm's engagements to improve police departments throughout the United States by applying strategies based on best practices in policing. This will apply to areas such as police department assessment; law enforcement strategic planning and program development; practical use of force policies; independent police monitoring and oversight; and crime prevention; as well as constitutional policing and the protection of civil rights, collaborative reform and the advancement of high-level community policing strategies and outcomes.

In his position as Vice President, Law Enforcement Consulting, Tanksley brings to Hillard Heintze decades of front-line experience in building collaborative relationships at the state and local level in law enforcement. As Chief of Police of Illinois' Oak Park Police Department since 2001, and concurrently Director of Emergency Preparedness for the city, he changed the department culture to one that is transparent, professional, courteous and respectful toward the diverse community it serves. This valuable change resulted in single-digit citizen complaints regarding officer conduct. Additionally, he led efforts as one of the first local government departments to institute performance measures to monitor police department operations, promote adherence to policies and strategic plans, and create measurable evidence to justify organizational budget requests.

Eilefson, an expert in complex, high-visibility and research-driven communications, will provide crucial support to the firm's Law Enforcement Consulting team. She will manage content, develop and improve processes, and collaborate with renowned subject matter experts in the constantly evolving field of law enforcement. Eilefson will help lead and organize all core communications processes supporting the development of major reports relating to independent assessments of major police departments across North America as well as the identification and publication of law enforcement best practices throughout the United States.

About Hillard Heintze
Hillard Heintze is one of the leading investigation and security risk management firms in the United States. The company helps protect people, performance, interests and reputations. The firm's investigative, security and law enforcement consulting services provide insight, deliver assurance, and instill confidence among clients worldwide. Headquartered in Chicago, Hillard Heintze also has operations in Washington D.C., Virginia Beach, Detroit, Newark and San Jose, as well as operating capabilities across North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Russia and Asia. For more information, visit www.hillardheintze.com.