The Siesta Key Awakening is a quest concerning one man's yearning to find his future. Tom Edwards, one of NYPD's finest detectives and disillusioned, is searching for life's meaning, and struggling to maintain direction. Duty bound to serve and protect, and not the typical detective, his life is disarray. Tom is a ticking "time bomb," with no hope, and suffering from a double loss. Tom has haunting dreams of a woman. He knows what he wants, but how far will he go to find her?
INTRODUCTION: Prof. Thomas E. Baker is an associate professor of criminal justice (Feb. 2000), assistant professor (1975-Jan. 2000), and awarded the Decennial Medal and Order of Pro Deo et Universitate for service. In addition, Tom served as a Lt. Col. (Ret.) United States Army Reserve Military Police Corps.
MILITARY CAREER: Lt. Col. Baker's military assignments include: special agent, detachment commander, battalion level commander, and a Command Headquarters assignment with the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command. Additional assignments include: provost marshal, military police investigations, staff officer for Training and Doctrine Command and instructor for the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He has earned over ten military and national police awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal.
Lt. Col. Baker is a graduate of the Basic Military Police Officer's Course, Advanced Infantry Officer's Course, Advanced Military Police Officer's Course, Criminal Investigation Course, Advanced Criminal Investigation Management Course, Psychological Operations Course, Field Grade Infantry Course, and the United States Army Command and General Staff College.
CIVILIAN CAREER: His civilian experience includes former police officer for Henrico County Police, Richmond, Virginia, and Montgomery County, Maryland. His service includes assignments as an Intelligence Officer and Undercover Officer in the Vice, Intelligence and Organized Crime Unit.
Prof. Baker's previous educational experience includes service in the Virginia Community College System as an associate professor, Child Supervisor, and teacher for the Diagnostic Center for Children, Bon Air, Virginia, and Children's Supervisor, Richmond, Virginia Detention Center.
ACADEMIC DEGREES: His academic degrees include: A. A. Social Science/Law Enforcement; B.S. Social Welfare/Criminal Justice, M. S. Rehabilitation Counseling/Corrections, Virginia Commonwealth University; M. Ed. Sports Science, and M.S. Health and Educational Administration, East Stroudsburg University; CAGS Psychology and Counseling, Marywood University; advanced study adult education, Pennsylvania State University, and educational leadership, Temple University and the University of Alabama.
PUBLICATIONS: Prof. Baker is the author of over 160 publications and has presented research at national and international meetings. Prof. Baker has published numerous articles on teaching criminal justice courses including: police criminalistics, active learning simulations, gravesite excavations, public safety administration, introduction to criminal justice, organized crime (Criminal Justice Educator), etc. Prof. Baker published an article entitled "The Crime Triangle: Alcohol, Drug Use, and Vandalism" in Police Practice and Research. He has served as an editorial reviewer for the Society for Police and Criminal Psychology, Journal of Criminal Justice, American Journal of Criminal Justice, and Sage Publications.
Prof. Baker published a book entitled, Effective Police Leadership: Moving Beyond Management, 3nd ed., Looseleaf Law Publications, Inc., 2010. The first printing of Effective Police Leadership in 2000 was his first book. He then published a second book entitled, Introductory Criminal Analysis: Crime Prevention and Intervention Strategies, for Pearson/Prentice-Hall Publishing Company, 2005. Moreover, he published his third book entitled Intelligence-Led Policing: Leadership, Strategies and Tactics with Looseleaf Law Publications, Inc. The books include related instructor's manuals and PowerPoint presentations.Prof. Baker published his first novel in 2010, The Siesta Key Awakening. Prof. Baker's 5th book, Police Suicide: Proactive Leadership and Crisis Management Tactics was published by NOVA Scientific Publications in October 2010.
Prof. Baker published book articles in the following encyclopedias: Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement, Encyclopedia of Criminal Justice, Encyclopedia of Historical and Notorious Personalities, Encyclopedia of Forensic Science, Crime and Punishment in the United States, Encyclopedia of American Law and Criminal Justice, Encyclopedia of Drug Policy, Encyclopedia of Women in American Military History, Encyclopedia of Mathematics and Society, Counterterrorism: From the Cold War to the War on Terror, Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Military Science, Encyclopedia of Trauma, Encyclopedia of the Social History of Crime and Punishment, and Encyclopedia of Community Corrections. In addition, he serves as an editorial reviewer for ARBA Library Services, numerous textbook publishing companies, and professional journals.
TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES: Prof. Baker regularly teaches: S/CJ 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice, S/227 Organized Crime Patterns, CJ 237 Investigative Process, CJ 238 Police Criminalistics, CJ 230 Crime Prevention, S/CJ 234 Criminal Justice Management, S/CJ 232 Public Safety Administration, and CJ 239 Introductory Criminal Analysis.
Prof. Baker has been teaching courses in police administration, public safety administration, organized crime, criminal investigation, police criminalistics and criminal analysis for over 38 years. His research focus includes criminal investigative analysis, criminal investigation, terrorism, police leadership, organized crime, community-oriented and problem solving policing, police grantsmanship, and criminal and intelligence analysis.
CONSULTING: Prof. Baker served as a police consultant to local law enforcement agencies, police administration, police testing, and Department of Justice COPS grants. He is peer reviewer for academic journals and provides peer support for major publishers book reviews and proposals.
CONCLUSION: Prof. Baker's first priority is his students. His classroom teaching style emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making. Prof. Baker's active learning classroom experiences include crime scene reconstruction, gravesite excavation, and moot court simulations.
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