Public Safety

DR. JOSEPH E. THOMAS, JR.
BIOGRAPHY

 
Dr. Joseph E. Thomas, Jr. is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University's Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership and holds a Specialist Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Eastern Michigan University, a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration from Western Michigan University, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS; where he was a three team All-American, two time national champion and Captain of the Football Team. He also has an Associate of Arts Degree in Law Enforcement from Jackson Community College.
 
Recognizing cassation and problematic recurrence of negative issues, Dr. Thomas developed training/courses to mentor and advise Elected Officials during high risk/critical incidents and advanced training for police & fire organizations, private security corporations, and school districts. He has trained governmental organizations in four countries. 
 
Internationally, Dr. Thomas provided Professionalism and Customer Service for the Canadian Provincial Police, served as the Deputy Director of Training in support of the Palestinian Authority Security Sector Transformation (PASST), served as the Acting Director of training initiatives of the Mobile Training Teams (MTTs) in the West Bank and Jordan.  Dr. Thomas is the administrator for other staff members and activities; including performance appraisals, curriculum approval and site inspections.  He also made recommendations in order to maintain a high quality of service; consistent with the rules, regulations, directives and Task Orders of the U.S. Department of State/International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and DynCorp International. 
 
Dr. Thomas was selected by the U.S. Department of State to serve two tours of duty in Iraq, as a Senior Police Advisor (SPA.)  He served as the U.S. Liaison to the General Directorate for Training and Qualification (GDTQ.) He led the team and later helped write the curriculum for the Federal Investigation Training Center (FITC); a 244 hours basic police investigation center modeled after the U.S Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Academy.  He served as one of the Instructors for the FITC’s first Train-the-Trainer (T3) class.  He was one of the facilitators that encouraged the Iraqi Provincial Police, Federal Police and Judicial Investigators to take the T3 course together; a first for the Government of Iraq.  He was presented an Outstanding Service Award by the Republic of Iraq for leading the team that developed the Curriculum for the FITC.  Dr. Thomas was also part of a team that developed and implemented 48 hours Leadership for Iraq’s Senior Commanders.
 
He is the President and founder of JET Consulting, Incorporated (JCI); a consulting company that provides Organizational Management & Leadership Development Continuous Education/Training to the public and private sectors. Under his leadership, JCI has developed 22 diverse inclusionary courses approved by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement (MCOLES) and 8 courses approved by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA.) Professionalism and Customer Service and Cultural Awareness are premiere courses provided by JCI.

Dr. Thomas served as an adjunct professor at Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University, as well as Oakland, Schoolcraft and Muskegon Community Colleges. He taught at the Oakland and Schoolcraft Police Academies in basic and advanced training. He served as an instructor at Eastern Michigan University schools of Police and Fire Staff Command. He has also taught special topics at the F.B.I. Academy and the National Fire Academy

He serves as an “Expert Witness” and “Consultant/Advisor” for government and private agencies. Under his directions, JCI developed a class that the Michigan Tax Commission accepted for six credit hours of Continuing Education. He is a Master Instructor for Troysgate Global, Inc. Troysgate provides Military and Police Close Combat Training and Personnel Conditioning.
 
Before accepting the Directorship in City of Ecorse, he was the Chief of Police in Muskegon Heights, Michigan; under his leadership there, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) awarded Muskegon Heights Police Department (MHPD) the “Exemplary Achievement in Community Policing for Small Police Departments” for 2020 (Police Department with 49 or less officers.) Only one award in the world was given. He served as the Interim Chief in Inkster, Michigan (after a high-profile police misuse of force incident) and served on the Transition Team for the New Chief. He was appointed Chief of Police in Southfield, Michigan; where he served for 20 years. He is the third longest serving Law Enforcement Executive in Oakland County History. In the City of Albion, Michigan, he served as Chief of Public Safety; in charge of Police, Fire and Code Enforcement operations. Chief Thomas served with Jackson, Michigan, Police Department; advancing through the ranks to Acting Lieutenant of the Investigative Unit. 
 
Chief Thomas has extensive executive skills in educational organizational theory, police, fire and emergency management operations. He is a graduate of the Michigan State Police School of Management, the National Fire Academy (Executive Fire Officer), Emmittsburg, MD, the F.B.I. National Academy, Quantico, VA, the United States Secret Service Executive School,Washington, D.C. and is a Honorary Colonel of the 645th Area Support Group United States Army Reserve and is the first Michigan Ambassador to the United States Army Reserve, who reports directly to the Office of the Chief Army Reserve Officer (OCAR) in the Pentagon and the U.S. Congress, and holds the rank, honor and privileges of a Major Retired Major General.
 
He is a member and holds office in several national, state and local police, fire and U.S. Army Reserve organizations; including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Fire Chief Association, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, Michigan Fire
Chiefs Association, Oakland County Police Chiefs Association, Western Michigan Fire Chiefs Association, Police Executive Research Forum (PER) and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), local and international Rotary and Optimist Clubs. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.