5.21.2025 Webinar: Advancing Public Safety Without a Badge: Introducing the National Association of Professional Staff in Public Safety

Arif Alikhan is a policy expert with over 25 years of experience developing innovative approaches and operational excellence in security and law enforcement. His career spans key leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Police Department.

As former Director of Constitutional Policing and Policy for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Arif implemented transformative policies that improved effectiveness while building community trust. He oversaw six LAPD divisions and over 300 personnel responsible for policy development, strategic planning, risk management, legal and government affairs, auditing and compliance functions, community relations, and media relations. Among many innovations and initiatives, he led LAPD’s body-worn camera program and created a critical incident briefing framework now adopted by agencies nationwide.

Currently serving as Special Advisor to the Chief of the LAPD, Arif guides complex organizational challenges and policy issues. He also delivers training programs for police agencies across the United States that have shaped current and future law enforcement executives, focusing on strategic thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills that strengthen operational effectiveness.

Arif’s extensive public service includes roles as Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security and Public Safety for Los Angeles, overseeing Police, Fire, and Emergency Management Departments; Director of Homeland Security at Los Angeles World Airports, leading 1,200 sworn and civilian security personnel; and Assistant Secretary for Policy Development at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He also served over a decade with the U.S. Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor and advisor to two U.S. Attorneys General.

His academic credentials include past positions as a Distinguished Professor at National Defense University and adjunct law professor at the University of Southern California and U.C. Irvine. Currently, he collaborates with the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab on police leadership programs and initiatives and is a subject matter expert for the National Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab.

Arif maintains his commitment to public service as a reserve police officer and LAPD Academy instructor, teaching constitutional policing and professionalism. His approach combines conceptual frameworks with operational knowledge to pursue justice and protect communities from harm.

Mr. Marvin Haiman is an Assistant Professor and the Executive Director of Public Safety and Justice at the University of Virginia. He is also a Visiting Fellow and Research Scholar with Rutger’s University. Haiman served as the Chief of Staff for the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. between 2021 and 2024. In this capacity, Haiman oversaw daily operations of the Executive Office of the Chief of Police and was responsible for broad agency management and implementing strategic agency objectives.

Haiman was responsible for several organizational units including the Office of Communications, Office of General Counsel, Office of Wellness and the Professional Development Bureau. He served as the Executive Director of the Professional Development Bureau between 2017 – 2021, leading the Recruiting Division, Metropolitan Police Academy Division, Human Resource Management Division, Disciplinary Review Division, Testing and Assessment Division, Equal Employment Opportunity Division, Office of Communications and the Strategic Engagement Office (Volunteer Services).

Prior to being named Executive Director, Haiman served in a variety of capacities between 2015-2017, including developing the agency’s Office of Volunteer Coordination, serving as Chief of Staff for the Technical Services Division tasked with a broad range of IT operations, and Chief of Staff for the Strategic Services Bureau supporting and leading the administration of police recruitment, training, policy and volunteer service matters for the Department.

Prior to returning to the Metropolitan Police Department, Haiman served as Director for the Homeland Security Advisory Council for the United States Department of Homeland Security, where he established several key task forces for the Secretary (e.g., Foreign Fighters, Integrity & Use of Force). Prior to his Federal service, Haiman led the Recruiting Division for the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., among various other positions. Haiman was responsible for restructuring the sworn hiring process, decreasing the amount of time it took to process candidates while increasing the quality of those officers hired.

Haiman graduated from The Johns Hopkins University with a master’s degree in management through the Police Executive Leadership Program. He earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Iowa and received designation as a Certified Public Management Program through George Washington University, as well as certification in Strategic Project Management. Haiman is also a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s Executive Leadership Program. He received recognition by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2020 as a 40 under 40 recipient and the prestigious Gary P. Hayes Award by the Police Executive Research Forum. Haiman graduated from the Metropolitan Police Academy and continues his police service as a reserve police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department. Haiman resides with his family in Washington, D.C.

Tara Hall is the Civilian Commander of Community Relations and Recruitment for the Mesa Police Department, Arizona’s third-largest agency. She oversees recruitment, career pathways, and community/youth programs, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in public safety. In 2024, she co-authored “Pioneering Integration and Leadership in Law Enforcement” in Police Chief Magazine and was featured in Police1 for advancing Mesa PD’s recruitment culture. Tara led Mesa’s two-year Recruitment & Retention Strategic Plan, increasing women recruits to 22% by 2024. She manages the agency’s 30×30 Initiative and founded the Arizona 30×30 group to promote statewide progress for women in policing.

Tara was named NAWLEE’s 2025 Professional Staff Leader of the Year and is a recognized national speaker and AZWIN board member. She also helped develop UVA’s inaugural Civilian Leadership Summit and holds degrees from Northern Arizona University along with executive leadership training in policing.

Ganesha M. Martin, Esq. is a leading expert in human-centered policing and the founder of ”Let’s Meet in the Middle,” an initiative dedicated to fostering dialogue and collaboration between law enforcement and communities of color. Currently, she serves as Vice President of Public Policy and Community Affairs at Mark43, a cutting-edge, cloud-native public safety software company. In this role, Martin drives initiatives that leverage technology to enhance accountability, transparency and trust between police agencies and the communities they serve.

A trailblazer in criminal justice reform, Martin has held several key leadership positions in Baltimore City government, most recently as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ). There, she led comprehensive criminal justice reform efforts in collaboration with the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office, the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the judiciary and numerous community organizations.

As an attorney, Martin played a central role in leading the federal court-ordered Consent Decree reform efforts at the Baltimore Police Department from 2015 to 2018. As Chief of the Department of Justice Compliance, Accountability and External Affairs Division, she was an integral member of the negotiation team that introduced transformative reforms in areas such as crisis intervention, use of force, mental health interventions, body-worn cameras, de-escalation tactics, community policing, officer wellness and early intervention systems. These reforms continue to serve as a model for law enforcement agencies nationwide.

A pioneer in public-private partnerships, Martin is committed to building nontraditional relationships that bridge divides and create opportunities for collaboration in public safety. In her current consulting work, she focuses on uniting law enforcement with communities of color, using her unique ability to connect with both sides and guide them toward common ground. She regularly advises nonprofits, private companies, tech startups, community organizations and local governments on best practices for policing, public safety and community engagement.

Martin is a respected thought leader in the field of criminal justice reform and public safety. She is a member of the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to advancing effective criminal justice policies. In 2019, she was one of 40 community policing experts invited to Nairobi, Kenya, by the Open Society Foundations to discuss strategies for civilian police reform. That same year, she was awarded the Securing Open Societies Fellowship. Her expert commentary on police reform, accountability and social justice has been featured in prominent publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Baltimore Sun, and The Baltimore Banner.

Known for her ability to navigate complex issues and overcome entrenched distrust, Martin is driven by a belief in the transformative power of communication and human connection. Her approach fosters collaboration across polarized groups and drives progress on some of society’s most challenging social issues. Her goal is to create practical pathways for police departments and communities to work together toward a safer and more equitable future.

Outside of her professional work, Martin is a passionate advocate for social justice and community empowerment. She serves as co-board chair for Teach For America  Baltimore, Outward Bound, the Baltimore Community Mediation Center, and Overcoming Poverty Together. She was recently appointed to 30×30, a grassroots movement dedicated to increasing the representation of women in policing by 30% by 2030. A graduate of Leadership Maryland and the Greater Baltimore Committee’s LEADERship program, Martin has been recognized for her leadership and impact by organizations such as The Baltimore Sun (Top 25 Women to Watch), The Daily Record (Top 100 Women), and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) (Top 40 Under 40).