In recognition of her commitment, dedication, and leadership in advancing strategies to reduce police bias and violence against African Americans, Ellen Scrivner, PhD, ABPP, was awarded an APA Presidential Citation.
Scrivner is co-chair of the APA Presidential Task Force on Use of Force Against African Americans. Created in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and subsequent racial unrest across the United States, the task force is an effort to promote and make a constructive contribution to change by convening a group of experts in relevant areas to develop a resource to aid police leaders in making lasting change that will effectively reduce illegitimate and illegal use of force against African Americans, as well as having beneficial impacts on police-community relations.
Scrivner is a Police Foundation Executive Fellow and has had a distinguished career in executive leadership devoted to advancing policing in America. She is a recognized national expert on criminal justice policy, police behavior, and public safety and policing issues.
Scrivner began as a police psychologist at both the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia and the Prince George County Police Department in Maryland. She moved on to become president of Public Safety Innovations in Washington, and deputy superintendent of the Bureau of Administrative Services at the Chicago Police Department.
Scrivner has served on the Steering Committee for the Harvard Executive Sessions on Policing and Public Safety (2010–11) and received an invitation to testify for the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing in 2015.
A licensed psychologist, Scrivner is board certified in police and public safety psychology. She is a past president of the Psychologists in Public Service Division (APA Div. 18). In 2013, she received the Harold M. Hildreth Distinguished Public Service Award from APA Div. 18 for outstanding executive leadership in advancing public service psychology.
Scrivner received her doctorate from The Catholic University of America.
Because of her extensive scholarship, research, dedication to eliminating bias and discrimination in policing, and her commitment and service to APA and the profession of psychology, it is my honor to award Ellen Scrivner, PhD, ABPP with this 2021 Presidential Citation.