Southern Police Institute News
The 143rd Class of the Administrative Officers Course just began at the Southern Police Institute with 48 students representing 43 agencies from 18 states ranging everywhere from Vermont to Nevada. Classes started on February 10th and students will graduate with a formal ceremony commencing on May 7th, 2020.
Seven Kentucky officers are attending the 143rd AOC as recipients of the Blue Coats Scholarships this semester. They are:
Sgt. Dennis Beatty – Louisville Metro Police Department
Sgt. Christopher Keith - Louisville Metro Police Department
Sgt. Curtis Lipsey - Louisville Metro Police Department Louisville Metro PD
Lt. Nicholas Owen - Louisville Metro Police Department
Sgt. Victor Szydlowski - Louisville Metro Police Department
Sgt. Harp Coy – Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
Sgt. Norman Mayer II – St. Matthews Police Department
Fifty-eight command-level officers graduated from the Southern Police Institute’s 85th Command Officer’s Development Course in Clermont, Florida on February 14, 2020. The 85th Command Officer’s Development Course consisted of 58 officers representing 33 agencies from 4 states (Washington, DC, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina). Graduates of the program spent a substantial amount of time over the last 5 months to get to graduation day, 400 classroom hours to be exact. A graduation ceremony and luncheon were held in honor of their achievements with the Director’s Award for Academic Excellence going to Lt. Jeff Lane of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (Florida).
The 86th Command Officer’s Development Course is scheduled to begin in Ft Lauderdale on March 9, 2020.
Retired Commander Les Poole
Retired Commander Les Poole, who has been a popular and well-known instructor for the Southern Police Institute since 1997, retired from his service with the Institute in January 2020. He began his long tenure with the Southern Police Institute instructing in some established courses on evaluating police performance. In 1999, he began teaching Strategic Management and Organizational Performance in the Command Officer Development Course. He developed Southern Police Institute’s original course the Organizational Management Certificate Program in 2003, instructing in two to three other courses (Strategic Management for 21st Century Policing; Personnel Development, Assessment and Liability, and Proactive Leadership: Budgeting & Survival Strategies) over the years.
Commander Poole has over 40 years of law enforcement experience in the United Kingdom and the United States. He served in eight ranks with Scotland Yard, London’s Metropolitan Police Service. As Commander, he was one of 264 Chief Officers nationally in England. He will be missed by students and SPI staff alike!
