Columbia Southern University (CSU) recently recognized Tennessee’s Capt. Josh Schultz of the Germantown Police Department as its 2024 Outstanding Law Enforcement Professional. Schultz, who has been with the department for 17 years, is noted for his dedication and love for working with the community.
“My father was a police officer when I was young, so I grew up idolizing law enforcement. I knew I was put on this earth to serve others in this capacity,” said Schultz, who leads the police services division at his department. The division includes training, special events, school resources officers and community outreach.
Josh Schultz
As part of that outreach, Schultz launched a situational awareness class to help local residents become aware of potentially dangerous situations. The impetus for the class was influenced by the tragic murder of a woman in nearby Memphis who was kidnapped during her run.
“I’ve always been a student of human behavior… but I felt I had some unique knowledge based on my work experience. I felt I could create a class that would show people ways in which they could be safer while going about their daily lives,” Schultz explained.
Schultz, who is earning his criminal justice administration degree with Columbia Southern, began teaching the class in 2022, and it was met with great interest and appreciation by locals.
“The class is molded to fit whatever audience we have. For instance, I’ve taught it to four women in the family room of a home, and to the graduating class of an all-female high school. It fills my heart to pass this possibly lifesaving information on to others,” he added.
“I utilized several books for my class but the most utilized is titled ‘The Gift of Fear: Survival Signs That Protect Us from Violence’ by Gavin de Becker. Lastly, we focus on letting the students know that it is ok to ‘offend’ people. By that I mean that standing up for yourself and saying ‘I’m uncomfortable’ is ok. So many people, especially women in the South, are taught to not hurt people’s feelings, even when it’s a detriment to their own. I make a joke in the class that I’m giving them a ‘gift,’ and that gift is the ability to offend people,” said Schultz.
The Outstanding Law Enforcement Professional Award was established as part of National Crime Prevention Month (October) and to recognize CSU’s criminal justice students and graduates for their commitment to safety, community service efforts, professionalism and accomplishments in the field.
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
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