The Chester County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) announces a new Command and Leadership Program for five counties of eastern Pennsylvania. The inaugural class begins in January, 2022 through the CCSO and under the direction of trainers from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP). The 13-week program is an intensive course in best practices for leading and motivating colleagues while fostering positive community relationships.
The program is an expansion of the NJSACOP Command and Leadership Academy that began in 1992 and has trained more than 700 police officers across New Jersey and surrounding states. The idea for the inaugural class came from Gerald R. Simpson, chief of the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department.
“As a professional in law enforcement for 39 years, I immediately saw the tremendous value of New Jersey’s program and the need to bring it to Pennsylvania,” said Simpson. “There is no doubt: Law enforcement needs more leadership training than ever, focusing on the behavioral sciences and the numerous theories of how best we can interact with one another.” He also expressed appreciation for NJSACOP for providing a new level of training.
“I am delighted to play a role in what I know is a tremendous opportunity for first responders in our region,” said Chester County Sheriff Fredda Maddox. “Since the killing of George Floyd placed law enforcement and first responders in the national spotlight, the public has demanded that law enforcement and other first responders receive more leadership and professional training.
“I am fortunate to work with Chief Simpson and other progressive agency leaders who were already ahead of police reform when they started the Command and Leadership Academy to create transformational leadership.”
The curricula—following the leadership training that West Point cadets receive their junior year—focuses on four key areas: becoming a leader, motivating individual personnel, leading groups and managing environmental factors and outside influences. Trainees will meet once a week at the Chester County Government Services Center and take exams related to the four key areas. At the end of each class, NJSACOP holds a graduation ceremony and confers certificates. The tuition-based program also helps participants secure credits toward some college degrees. For more information about the program, contact NJSACOP at 856-334-8943.