Lucas Law Legal Leaders Spring 2023 Scholarship Winner

Elliot Rose

Our team at Lucas Law is proud to help ease the burden of educational expenses as Elliot pursues his goal of earning his law degree and becoming a leader within the realms of legislation and policy. As a full-time law enforcement executive, Elliot has an impressive leadership background and capabilities. Read Elliot's essay to learn more about his intriguing insight into the criminal justice system and his future plans.

Read Elliot's Essay:

Leadership cannot simply be learned from reading a book, sitting behind a desk or attending a class. It is a combination of skills and characteristics constantly being developed and refined through years of experience and application. Having served on the front lines of law enforcement for over 20 years including a decade within a formal leadership role, I've embraced a multitude of opportunities of which have molded me into the effective leader I am today. Throughout the years, I've led successful community projects and initiatives, helped implement crime reduction strategies and programs and enabled countless individuals both within public safety and throughout the community to succeed in achieving established goals. Above all, I've learned how to utilize effective leadership toward initiating positive change. Having reached a point for which my influence, professional reputation and leadership skills can impact a large majority, pursuing a juris doctorate would provide the ability to further navigate and pursue changes and legislative reform within public policy and criminal justice.

The majority of law enforcement and public safety professionals are incredible people, grounded with a strong moral compass and a true desire to help others. Having worked alongside these individuals often witnessing acts of compassion, kindness and morality on a daily basis, it's apparent the system and not so much the individual is needing reform. Strategies based upon outdated societal beliefs and practices from bygone eras still serve as the framework for which the criminal justice system currently relies. Strong emphasis remains on incarceration in lieu of reform and social programming. Law enforcement are tasked with handling issues involving mental health, drug addiction and homelessness for which the criminal justice system was never designed to address. State and federal funding directed toward reducing crime or improving quality of life within marginalized communities often fails to address the underlying issues at hand. Changes must be made toward updating a system of which neither addresses nor represents current societal needs and expectations.

While reforming the criminal justice system and several elements related to public policy has been a major legislative focus over the last several years, many of the new funding mechanisms and initiatives fail to address the underlying problems at hand. Laws are often drafted by well-intended legislators attempting to address issues for which they lack operational knowledge and background. While serving as a law enforcement executive, I've had the unique privilege in working alongside many legislators. Such experience has solidified my interest in pursuing a law degree and becoming more influential within the legislative realm and public policy.

Quite distinguished from that of a traditional student, I continue working full-time as a law enforcement executive so that I can provide for my family and contribute toward my education. Scholarship assistance would go a long way in helping ease the financial burden of attending law school as well as provide more opportunity to focus on my studies in lieu of working extra hours to cover extensive tuition burden. Atop my executive level background and leadership in public safety, I have no question my law degree will provide quite the substantial foundation for effecting positive change within public policy and legislative reform.