Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO)
Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO) is the IACP’s flagship leadership development training program. LPO is modeled after the training concept of dispersed leadership (“every officer a leader”) and delivers modern behavioral science concepts and theories uniquely tailored to the law enforcement environment.
Course Overview
The three-week LPO course explores leadership at different levels in the organization: leading individuals, leading groups, and leading organizations. The course teaches students about these levels of leadership using the following methods:
- Applied learning: The course is highly interactive, using small group case studies, videos, role-playing, and class exercises to reinforce learning.
- Translation of theory to practice: Participants learn behavioral science theories with real-world application to better understand how to lead change in individuals, groups, and organizations.
- Practical leadership strategies: Participants learn strategies for influencing human behavior to increase motivation, satisfaction, and performance throughout an organization.
Course Goals
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Understand and apply modern behavioral science and leadership theories that affect human motivation, satisfaction, and performance in the achievement of organizational goals
- Learn frameworks to translate knowledge and experience into effective leader actions
- Integrate course content into daily leadership practices
- Inspire a lifelong commitment to the study and practice of effective leadership
Attend an LPO Course
Denton, Texas (Hosted by Denton Police Department)
Week One: December 2 - 6, 2024
Week Two: January 13 - 17, 2025
Week Three: February 17 - 21, 2025
Learn more and register.
Sanford, Florida (Hosted by Seminole County Sheriff's Office)
Week One: January 13 - 17, 2025
Week Two: February 17 - 21, 2025
Week Three: March 21 - 28, 2025
Learn more and register.
Host an LPO Course for Your Agency
Agencies can host an LPO program with attendance limited only to their agency or a predetermined conglomerate of smaller nearby agencies. Registration to attend an LPO is coordinated by the local host agency. Contact [email protected] for more information.
The program can be hosted at any training facility that can accommodate six tables of six. Training locations have varied from training academies and hotel meeting rooms to local community centers.
Typically, the three-week LPO program is conducted one week at a time, over a period of three months, to minimize operational downtime. The IACP provides two instructors for each of the three weeks, and classes are populated with up to 36 students at the first line supervisor level and above.
Additionally, the course requires each participant to purchase a three-volume set of LPO books directly through our publisher.
Course Instructors
IACP's LPO instructors are current and recently retired law enforcement, public safety, and military leaders vetted and evaluated every week in the classroom. These individuals are Police Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants, and Sergeants who meet the quality standards established by IACP.
Train-the-Trainer: Faculty Development Workshop (FDW)
For agencies who have hosted an LPO and wish to continue the program in-house, IACP offers a train-the-trainer "faculty development workshop" (FDW) for agencies to train up their own LPO instructors. and local instructor mentoring. Prerequisites for this option are that the intended instructors have graduated from a prior LPO course, and will be able to teach at least one week's worth of LPO material during another LPO (Local Instructor Mentoring) following their FDW.
The FDW is an intensive two-week, train-the-trainer course led by IACP instructors. During the FDW up to six LPO graduates learn to teach the program by gaining a deep understanding of the behavioral science underpinning each lesson. Through practice and feedback, students learn to apply adult learning theory as classroom instructors. At the conclusion of the FDW, participants are given all teaching materials required to run the programs locally and are mentored to set up the program with IACP’s assistance. FDWs are only available to agencies who have contracted with IACP to host an LPO.
Local Instructor Mentoring
Each FDW is followed by a three-week LPO course led by the newly minted local agency instructors with in-class mentoring from IACP instructors. Mentors meet with instructors the day or evening prior to review slides and teaching objectives and answer questions. During training, mentors observe from the back of the room and coach instructors during breaks as needed. Mentors debrief with instructors each day providing thorough feedback on instructional techniques and lesson delivery. At the conclusion of the mentoring process, agencies are poised to continue delivering the program internally.
LPO Testimonials
"This is an excellent class. Formal instruction with group interaction makes learning the concepts more meaningful."
(Cobb County, GA Participant)
"I am so excited and cannot wait to use these lessons not just now, but in the rest of my career!"
(Jacksonville, FL Participant)
"This has been an exceptional class; the message of leadership is very much needed within this department. This has begun to fill the void that has existed within this department for over 10 years."
(Norfolk, VA Participant)
"Having the human behavioral science incorporated in teaching leadership skills and applications is what makes this leadership course different than others. The theories are practical and can be applied in true work situations. Very valuable course!"
(Calgary, Canada Participant)
