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New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police’s Command & Leadership Academy expands across the globe

Courses to be Held in Budapest and Botswana

NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police’s (NJSACOP) Command & Leadership Academy has steadily developed into one of the nation’s premier law enforcement leadership development courses, attracting law enforcement leaders from across the eastern seaboard.

Now, the academy is expanding its reach internationally.

From June 10-21, 2024, four instructors from NJSACOP traveled to Budapest, Hungary, to teach its curriculum to command and supervisory officers from Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Slovakia at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA). The 32 participants included supervisory law enforcement officers, investigative supervisors, and other criminal justice officials, all of whom are required to share the knowledge gained with their colleagues.

The ILEA program is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) initiative designed to enhance international cooperation and training for law enforcement agencies around the world. ILEA facilities, established in partnership with host countries, are located in regions worldwide, including Hungary, Thailand, Botswana, El Salvador, Ghana, and New Mexico, U.S.

The U.S. Department of State extended the invite to NJSACOP because of the academy’s reputation for a unique blend of theory and practical application, aimed at creating future leaders in law enforcement. Following the success of the initial program, federal officials have requested that NJSACOP deliver the Command and Leadership Academy program three more times in the upcoming months at ILEA locations in Budapest and Botswana.

Typically, the course runs 104 hours over 13 weeks. However, to accommodate the ILEA schedule, NJSACOP academy instructors condensed the June program into 72 rigorous hours over nine days. The curriculum integrates behavioral science theories and scenario-based learning to enhance education and skill development. The trainers included NJSACOP Executive Director Mitchell Sklar, Senior Fellow David Annets, Trainer Al Stiehler, and Professional Development Director Paul Sorrentino.

“This collaboration between NJSACOP and ILEA exemplifies the strength and impact of international cooperation in law enforcement training,” said Edward Scott, Deputy Director of the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest. “Bringing together command-level officers from Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Slovakia allows us to share valuable insights, foster cross-border partnerships, and create a foundation for mutual understanding. By integrating NJSACOP’s rigorous leadership curriculum, we’re helping to build a network of leaders equipped to address complex challenges on a global scale.”

The instructors focused on topics designed to develop leadership and encourage strategic thinking.

NJSACOP emphasizes leadership as a science, incorporating logical thinking and critical methodology along with police-oriented case studies. The intensive course encourages the practical application of organizational theory within a law enforcement context.

“Hundreds of law enforcement supervisors have graduated from the program since its inception in the early 1990s,” said Sorrentino. “The program initially expanded from New Jersey into five surrounding states.”

Sorrentino noted that many command and supervisory personnel embrace the challenging curriculum, which is designed to encourage students to find new methods for solving problems through logic, critical thinking, methodology, and vision.

“During the program, students work in small groups to apply theories and solve real-life scenarios,” he said.

The curriculum, similar to the leadership training received by West Point cadets in their junior year, focuses on four key areas: Preparing Yourself to Lead, Understanding and Motivating Others, Leading Great Teams, and Leading Great Organizations.

“This program translates well for supervisory officers in law enforcement preparing for the next step,” said Sorrentino, adding that ILEA provides simultaneous interpretation and translation services to bridge language gaps.

These services ensure that international students who do not speak English have equal opportunities for interaction and engagement with classmates, similar to those of U.S. law enforcement officers. When the program was launched in 1992-93, regional divisions were created within New Jersey to accommodate the growing demand.

As the program expanded, Region 3 was established to serve Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and southern New Jersey. Region 4 was created for Middlesex and Somerset counties, while Region 5 served eastern Pennsylvania through a partnership with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office.

Academy students come from a wide variety of local, county, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Jay Edwards

Born and raised in Northwest NJ, Jay has a degree in Communications and has had a life-long interest in local radio and various styles of music. Jay has held numerous jobs over the years such as stunt car driver, bartender, voice-over artist, traffic reporter (award winning), NY Yankee maintenance crewmember and peanut farm worker. His hobbies include mountain climbing, snowmobiling, cooking, performing stand-up comedy and he is an avid squirrel watcher. Jay has been a guest on America’s Morning Headquarters,program on The Weather Channel, and was interviewed by Sam Champion.

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