Public Safety Fundamentals for Pennsylvania Municipal Officials

Instructor:  Bill Jenaway

Dr. William F. Jenaway is Vice Chair of the Upper Merion Township Board of Supervisors and a longtime leader in municipal government, public safety, and emergency services. With more than 50 years of experience in fire and EMS, he has served as a Fire Chief, municipal official, insurance executive, and FEMA grant project manager. Dr. Jenaway is the author of seven public safety textbooks, more than 500 published articles, and teaches public safety and public service at the graduate level.

This session is designed to be interactive. To encourage open discussion and active participation, this session will not be recorded. Come prepared to turn on your camera, share your thoughts, and participate in the conversation. Your experiences and insights will help make the learning meaningful for everyone

Course Description

Shaping Safer Communities Through Smart Public Safety Leadership

This introductory course provides Pennsylvania municipal officials with a practical foundation in public safety as a core governance responsibility. Designed for municipal officials and staff, the course explores how public safety extends beyond emergency response to include policy, planning, coordination, and accountability.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of how public safety systems are structured across state, county, and municipal levels in Pennsylvania, including the roles of agencies such as the Pennsylvania State Police, county emergency management, and local service providers. The course also examines the legal authority of municipalities, clarifying what officials can and cannot do under state law, and the fiscal and liability considerations that influence decision-making.

Finally, participants will explore how community characteristics—such as size, geography, and public expectations—shape public safety needs and strategies. By the end of the session, officials will be better equipped to make informed, strategic decisions that enhance safety, build public trust, and support their communities effectively.

Key Topics

• Public Safety as Governance
• Structure of Public Safety in Pennsylvania
• Legal Authority and Limitations of Municipalities
• Roles and Responsibilities—Elected Officials vs. Staff
• Community Scale, Complexity, and Public Scrutiny

Who Should Attend

• Elected officials (mayors, council members, supervisors, commissioners)
• Municipal managers and administrators
• Department heads
• Newly elected or appointed local officials
• Local leaders involved in public safety policy, oversight, and decision-making

This course is especially valuable for those seeking a clearer understanding of their role in public safety governance.

By the end of this course, you can expect to be able to

1. Define public safety in your community
2. Create an organizational chart of public safety in your community
3. State how your community meets the public safety requirements for your class/type of community (borough, township of the first or second class, or third-class city)
4. Demonstrate your community’s governing body role in public safety outcomes, providing examples
5. Define how accountability, risk and public trust are shown in your community
6. Demonstrate how public safety is shown as a strategic responsibility

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Registration

• Send a message to lla@pml.org for group rates for 10 or more registrants
• By registering for this course, you are authorizing the League Learning Academy to forward information to you at your email address related to educational offerings.
• Once your registration is completed, you should receive a confirmation email from The PA Municipal League. It contains the zoom link to the course. If you do not receive an email, check your spam folder.
• Participants must attend the entire 3-hour session to earn a course certificate.

Cancellation & No‑Show Policy

• Cancellations must be submitted in writing at least 72 hours before the class to receive a full refund.
• Cancellations after 72 hours may receive a partial refund, minus a processing fee.
• No‑shows or failure to cancel will forfeit the full registration fee