Bill Reilly
Bill Reilly is the Police Chief Coach™, bringing his command-level law enforcement and executive-level certified coaching experiences together for law enforcement professionals seeking greater effectiveness in the way they ‘Lead, Influence, and Achieve’.
After attaining his degree in business and serving as a manager in a large corporation, Bill joined the Hartford (Connecticut) Police Department. As a police officer, he began his career in the patrol division – where he was decorated for protecting a family from a knife-wielding attacker – leading to a position on the Crime Suppression Unit (Street Crimes Unit).
After engaging in written and oral board testing in the sergeant promotion process against over 200 competitors, Bill achieved the #1 placement on his promotion list. He returned to patrol for a short period of time before being assigned as an instructor and supervisor in Hartford’s Police Academy. He achieved State of Connecticut P.O.S.T. instructor certification in the areas of human relations and ethics, areas where he taught extensively inside and outside of the Hartford Police Department.
At first eligibility for a lieutenant promotion, Bill again achieved the #1 placement on the promotion list after competitive testing. Immediately after promotion he was elevated to commander of the Hartford Police Academy. Shortly thereafter the chief designated Bill the commander of the Hartford Bomb Squad and the two assignments were held concurrently.
His track record of # 1 placement on promotion lists was repeated at the captain rank as well as the assistant chief rank; the latter occurring after assessment center testing. Bill holds the distinction of being the only member of the Hartford Police Department to ever be promoted in the #1 position for sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and assistant chief after competitive testing.
While serving as a captain he oversaw patrol operations in the south area of Hartford. He also was selected to provide training throughout the United States with the Community Policing Consortium through the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
As Assistant Chief of Police, Bill served as the department’s Chief of Staff working directly with the Chief of Police to improve organizational effectiveness and accountability.
Finest’s Professional Development. LLC was founded shortly after his retirement from the Hartford Police Department. Having earned a professional coaching certification, a Master’s degree in Organizational Communication, and having served as an adjunct professor, Bill is now focused on aligning law enforcement organizations by helping new, experienced, and aspiring police chiefs clarify their desired direction for their agency & communicating that direction effectively to achieve the desired outcome. Supervisors at all levels are trained in practical Leader Skills that provide them with tools to influence their personnel toward the fulfillment of their agency’s mission. Lastly, entry-level, supervisory, and chief of police candidates are guided on how to effectively communicate their competencies to increase their chances of achieving their desired positions/promotions. The common threads are greater influence through effective communication and organizational alignment though consistency and certainty.
In his 20+ years as a certified instructor Bill has delivered training programs to thousands of police professionals throughout the United States. He is still a State of Connecticut P.O.S.T. certified instructor in the areas of Leadership and Community Oriented Policing. Additionally, he holds active memberships in the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), the National Speakers Association (NSA) and the FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA). Bill is a graduate of the FBI National Academy’s 213th Session.
For information on how Bill can help you ‘Lead, Influence, and Achieve’, call him at 860-647-7993.
