The Speaker

Wade Hardy is the Deputy Chief Criminal Investigator for the Westchester County District Attorney's Office in New York. In addition to overseeing criminal investigations in the office, Chief Hardy works to improve relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve within Westchester County. With 38 years of law enforcement and corporate security leadership and management experience, one of his primary responsibilities is to help improve relationships between law enforcement and communities of color. A former police lieutenant with the White Plains Police Department, Chief Hardy worked passionately to build bridges between the police department and the communities it served while working as commander of the Community Services Division. He furthered initiatives to improve conditions in public housing, improve relationships with at-risk youth, and met regularly with neighborhood associations, local clergy, and the White Plains Central Business District. Before becoming a supervisor, Chief Hardy served as a detective for 10 years, focused on narcotics and overall criminal activity within the city. In addition, he spent three years working on federal cases with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Following his career with White Plains Police, he spent 12 years as a department manager in Corporate Security at Con Edison. His primary focus was managing security investigations, asset protection, physical security, and security compliance throughout New York City and Westchester County. He also initiated training programs to help keep the 19,000 Con Edison employees safe at work and in their personal lives.

Chief Hardy is a member of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and the first vice president of the Westchester Rockland Guardians' Association (Guardians). The Guardians are a fraternal law enforcement organization comprised primarily of active and retired minority law enforcement officers whose mission includes improving opportunities for people of color to get involved in law enforcement and enhance law enforcement and community relationships. Chief Hardy is passionate about encouraging more people of color to seek careers in law enforcement and advancing through their careers by seeking promotional opportunities. During his time in the private sector, Chief Hardy served on the White Plains Police Reform Committee and consulted on numerous other police reform committees in surrounding areas. He also served as chairman of the American Gas Association Physical Security Committee, where he led in promoting safe, reliable, and efficient delivery of natural gas to homes and businesses nationwide.

In his spare time, Chief Hardy enjoys spending time with his family and friends, mentoring youth and law enforcement officers of various ranks, and coaching various youth sports. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan University and a master’s in public administration from the University of New Haven. He also graduated from the 288th session of the FBI National Academy.

The Workshop

Community Outreach and Strategic Engagement : Friday, September 26, 2025 02:30P

The role of law enforcement today goes far beyond citizen compliance with local laws – police community outreach is integral to modern policing. A robust outreach strategy improves community-law enforcement relationships so that officers can provide the best public safety services possible.

Community outreach and strategic engagement for law enforcement refers to the proactive efforts by police departments to interact with residents in their jurisdiction, aiming to build trust, understand community concerns, and foster positive relationships by actively engaging with diverse groups through various programs and initiatives, ultimately enhancing public safety and legitimacy. Ultimately, it is the strategic interactions your police department has with residents to inform them about your work that build trust and support, and helps agencies learn more about citizen needs.

However, outreach has its challenges. Successful outreach requires careful consideration of your police department’s goals, a deep understanding of the community you’re trying to reach – and lots of time and planning. This workshop seeks to provide participants with the needed tools to assemble the best outreach plan possible.