Ben Fillman

The meeting began with opening remarks and recognition of new committee members. Old Business included updates on securing dedicated social media accounts for the ACPD across multiple platforms, efforts to boost committee membership, and planning for articles in the AWARE NEWS newsletter for 2026. New Business covered the assignment of supervisory tasks for the National Disability Awareness Employment Month (NDEAM) Resource Fairs in Sacramento and Los Angeles, updates on the ACPD's annual art contest, and an introduction to The Blue Envelope Program, which aims to facilitate interactions between law enforcement and the deaf community. Round Table discussions addressed budget tracking procedures, a suggestion to create an Honorary Cadet program adaptation for persons with disabilities, requests for more accessible restrooms at NDEAM fairs, and offers of assistance with social media and language needs.

The meeting included discussions on broadcasting National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) events via social media, with assigned roles for managing the ACPD's social media presence. The committee also focused on recruiting new members and reviewed the success of the Southern California NDEAM event, emphasizing the need to encourage more state agencies to participate. Concerns were raised regarding pre-event meetings for the Northern California NDEAM, and suggestions were made to improve vendor services, event cleanliness, and transportation coordination. The Art Contest was discussed, with a call for theme ideas. The Aware Newsletter's digital publication was also highlighted. Commendations were given for outstanding work by committee members.

The meeting covered the approval of changes to the ACPD bylaws, updates on the status of the Southern California and Northern NDEAM events, and the discussion of a travel request memo for both events. There was a report on the increase in submissions for the art contest and a proposal to create a dedicated social media account for ACPD. An update was provided on the State Disability Awareness Committee meeting, and the concept of an Honorary Police/Sheriff Recruit Program was introduced. The meeting also included a round table discussion on new recruitment efforts and support for the LEAP process at the NDEAM event.

The meeting included discussions on the art contest video project, ACPD nomination at the ACSED DAC Award ceremony, and the purchase of ACPD and Limited Examination Appointment Program banners. Updates were provided on the 2025 duty roster, the 2025 NDEAM jobs resource fair, and the art contest status. Members were reminded to submit stories for the AWARE NEWS newsletter and encouraged to promote the Department's Disability Awareness Award. Progress on redeveloping the ACPD's intranet and internet pages was also discussed. Additionally, there was a discussion regarding job vacancies and participation in the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

The Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities (ACPD) meeting reviewed the previous day's NDEAM fair, noting its success and identifying areas for improvement, such as trash can placement, improved vendor communication, and enhanced advertising. Discussions included recruitment of new members, the distribution of the AWARE NEWS, and plans for future recruitment events. The committee also planned improvements for the next NDEAM event, including a potential job fair in Southern California and a survey for participating agencies. Additional action items included developing a OneDrive resource for event planning, identifying options for music, and creating a map of agency placement for the next event.