NPI Employee Highlight
Humberto Cardounel, Senior Director of Training and Technical Assistance
So, what would it take for a retired police executive to come out of retirement? For Humberto Cardounel, the answer is simple: the National Policing Institute.
As many law enforcement executives can attest, working long weeks, supervising people and tasks, and being responsible for a whole litany of “things” are some of the reasons retirement was so appealing. So, when asked what it would take to hang up my golf clubs and re-enter the professional world, I tell people it only took three letters: NPI.
Humberto Cardounel
Humberto retired as the Chief of Police from the Henrico County (Virginia) Police Department in 2020. Over his tenure, he held many command and executive positions in patrol, criminal investigations, organized crime, special operations and homeland security, internal affairs, personnel, training, and accreditation. Humberto also served on various local and state committees, including two Virginia gubernatorial committee appointments. Humberto has worked with agencies in the US and internationally, helping them with law enforcement accreditation.
It was international work that first connected Humberto to NPI. The organization needed someone to oversee a large project in Mexico, working with the State Department and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Through a mutual colleague, Humberto was introduced to NPI’s president, Jim Burch, and began researching the various ways NPI was impacting policing.
“The more I dug into what NPI stood for and the work they were doing, the more brilliant it looked,” said Humberto. “I initially got involved with this project in Mexico, and then I started seeing the other areas beyond the international work.”
Humberto realized that if he was going to come out of retirement, it would only be to do something he believed in. Today, Humberto has worked with NPI for more than two years.
When you look at what the mission is— using research to achieve excellence in policing—and the vision to create safe, professional, and effective policing for all people at all times, I knew NPI was well aligned with my beliefs.
Humberto Cardounel
Looking back at his career, Humberto can see the important role NPI has played on the profession, and he is proud to be part of improving law enforcement for current and future officers, including his own son.
I went from seeing the world through the lens of former law enforcement to the lens of a father whose son just entered the profession. My perspective is now looking at the next generation of professionals, the profession itself, and realizing that NPI’s role is just as important today as it was in 1970.
Humberto Cardounel
As a former administrator, Humberto hopes all agencies know the important research-based resources and practical tools accessible to every law enforcement executive nationwide.
For example, during the many protests that occurred in 2020, NPI collaborated with departments and communities to produce a protest guide, which was recently updated to incorporate considerations in response to recent college campus protests. Humberto notes the protest guide is just one example of NPI being on the cutting edge.
“Policing is not static but ever-changing, as is the need for the work that NPI provides to the profession,” adds Humberto. “Ultimately, the goal is to produce resources that are practical and applicable in the field. One benefit is that you don’t have to be a member of NPI since we are a non-membership organization to benefit from our work.”
Field resources are just the beginning of what NPI can offer agencies, officers, and communities. Like Humberto, the NPI team has diverse backgrounds that support the organization’s approach to creating tools, knowledge, and resources that help agencies build healthy cultures, recruit and retain qualified officers, and cultivate community trust.
When you look at the NPI team, you’re going to see individuals with prior law enforcement experience, others with strong academic and research backgrounds, and some who have experience from a wide segment of the policing world, whether through other nonprofits or organizations like the Department of Justice. We have a tremendous opportunity to draw from that experience and talent to give us a 360-degree perspective. The work we do is oftentimes immeasurable but so very much needed and impactful.”llenging situations, or isn’t confident in their abilities, then, in my opinion, you’re more likely to see escalation and use of unnecessary force than if they were capable and well-trained.
Humberto Cardounel
Read this month's full issue of Inside Our Impact here. To learn more about how to get involved in NPI, visit this link.