Police chiefs from four major cities in Texas joined the latest New Chief Development Program at the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas in October.
Chiefs Charles A. McCllellan of Houston, Michael W. Thaler of Pasadena, Troy Riggs of Corpus Christi and Rex Redden of Carrolton were among the 58 top cops from across the state that attended the training in Huntsville from Oct 4-8.. The chiefs represents a wide spectrum of departments, including municipalities, school districts and colleges ranging from less than 10 officers to more than 90.
"When they talked, everyone listened," Donna Garcia, program manager for police chief training at LEMIT, said of the big city chiefs "How often do they get to sit next to the Houston Police Chief and have a conversation?"
The training, which is mandated by the Texas Legislature, addresses the professional development and job-related skills necessary to perform successfully in the police chiefs role. It included such topics as racial profiling, budgets, policies and procedures, media relations, communications, stress management, emotional survival and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education.
Aside from programs, it also provides top administrators with a network to tap for advise on similar issues and problems.
"This week may be the first contact for a new chiefs to meet peers that they can call suggestions and help," said Garcia.
The keynote speaker for their graduation was Conroe Police Chief Philip Dupuis, who attended the last new chief’s session. Dupuis is also a student at Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice.
In addition to hosting chiefs from cities with populations of more than 100,000, the latest training included its own Huntsville Police Chief Kevin Lunsford, also a graduate of the SHSU program.
The New Chiefs Program is held three times a year at LEMIT in Huntsville. As part of the required biennial training program, LEMIT also offer a Chief Leadership Program to assist veteran police administrators in developing leadership skills and to help them recognize factors that impact the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.
This year’s leadership training focused on effective communications, employee relations, visioning, crisis services for the mentally ill, legal updates, leadership skills, computer trends in crime and telephone exploitation.
LEMIT is the professional training center for law enforcement in Texas and is located on the campus of Sam Houston State University.
Following the new chief training, LEMIT offers assist police administrators in developing their leadership skills and to help them recognize factors that impact the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.
The five-day training focused on effective communications, employee relations, visioning, crisis services, legal updates, leadership skills, computer trends in crime and telephone exploitation.
