The College of Innovation and Design and the Department of Criminal Justice at co-presented a week-long program of leadership and professional education to Idaho chiefs of police and sheriffs. The program was held in Idaho Falls on May 22-26, 2023 with financial support from the College of Innovation and Design.
The program, The Idaho Law Enforcement Management Institute, is designed to bring executive leadership and development education to Idaho chiefs and sheriffs and their command staff around the state. The topics and instructors were identified in collaboration with the Idaho State Police, Idaho Sheriffs Association, Idaho Chiefs of Police Association and Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training. The instructors, which included local experts and facilitators from Idaho and national experts in law enforcement leadership, delivered sessions on a range of topics such as recruiting and retaining employees, suicide and suicide prevention with service personnel, and wellbeing, stress and burnout prevention for police leaders. Fourteen sheriffs, police chiefs and their command staff attended the program.
William R. King, Professor and Department Chair, of the Department of Criminal Justice has served as the institute’s director since early 2021.
“The program fills a need for law enforcement leaders in Idaho, many of whom cannot leave the state for professional education and development with the FBI’s National Academy or the Southern Police Institute, for example,” he said. “The travel and instructional costs are prohibitive and many of them cannot leave their agencies for days or weeks. Our program is designed to bring the instruction and education to a local, convenient location where chiefs and sheriffs and their staff can attend each day’s program and then return home.”
King said this type of state supported education for law enforcement command staff is rare, usually only offered by much larger states, and that Boise State’s support of this initiative is crucial to assisting with the professional development of law enforcement leaders.
Dean of the School of Public Service Angie Bos said that the conference reflects the the school’s objective to serve.
“The Idaho Law Enforcement Management Institute illustrates the public facing mission of the School of Public Service to develop meaningful community outreach that serves the State of Idaho,” she said.