The Pickerington Police Department knows that an investment in its officers is an investment
in the community.
Recently, the department made a commitment to send a member of its leadership team to a special training program in Columbus. Sgt. Chad Wallace, who has 16 years’ experience in law enforcement, attended an 11-week course through the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University.
The Public Safety Leadership Academy course was developed by the university and the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The program is funded by the state of Ohio and paid for with taxes from casinos so that law enforcement agencies are not burdened with the cost.
Pickerington Police Chief Mike Taylor recommended Wallace for the intensive training, which is designed to enhance the skills of law enforcement supervisors and leaders throughout the state. University professors, law enforcement instructors and other professionals taught courses that centered on cultural diversity, modern leadership styles, interpersonal and organizational communication, union contract negotiations, grant writing, leadership, and the development of large-scale enforcement initiatives.
“The training I received will be passed on to the officers I supervise to help them make better decisions, communicate better with the public and learn more about themselves so they can better serve the community,” Wallace said.
In addition to the instruction provided to the law enforcement executive team members, the academy conducted personal assessments of the students to determine their strengths and weaknesses so that they could use their skills to their advantage.
Wallace said the assessments instilled a renewed confidence in his skills and the training was a valuable experience.
“It is important for the Police Department to invest in its supervisors and get them this kind of training so that they will be ready to take over leadership roles within the department when current staff members retire,” Wallace said. “These officers are then better equipped to train people below them to take over their positions as they move up within the department. It also gives the department the leadership skills to positively handle challenging situations in an appropriate manner.”
