Technology Talk: A Look Back at a Remarkable Career

As a membership organization, IACP’s success depends heavily on the contributions of its members. Over the years, we have been fortunate to have a very active membership of committed volunteers who have helped make IACP the world-class organization it is today. Few, however, can match the contributions of Chief McEwen, who will be stepping down as chair of the IACP Communications and Technology Committee at the IACP Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, this month (October 2015). His contributions have helped enhance the standing of IACP as the voice of law enforcement and will continue to have a positive impact on public safety for decades to come. Chief McEwen’s long career in law enforcement began in 1957, when he became a police officer in his hometown of Waverly, New York. When he received his first appointment as chief of police in 1972 in the town of Cayuga Heights, New York, he immediately joined IACP, beginning a membership that would continue for more than four decades. Chief McEwen was named chair of the Communications and Technology Committee by IACP President Wilson E. “Pat” Spier in 1978 and has been reappointed by every president since.