PROVIDING CUTTING-EDGE LEADERSHIP TRAINING
"The Department has long provided leadership training to law enforcement in the region. This Institute continues this tradition using new ideas and best practices to improve policy and police-community relations.”
- Sally Wallace, Dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.
"The new Leadership Development Institute of Georgia applies evidence-based principles to leadership training. This program will improve contemporary law enforcement by inspiring its leaders to make meaningful change to police operations within the communities they serve.”
- Amb. Andrew Young
“As both an alumni of their graduate program and agency-based partner to the Atlanta Police Leadership Institute (APLI), I have seen firsthand the dedication and professionalism that the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology at GSU brings to their efforts to mold the future leaders of the criminal justice system."
- Chief Jeffrey Glazier, Ponce Inlet, Florida
Mission
The Mission of the Leadership Development Institute of Georgia (LDIG) is to prepare leaders in the field of criminal justice to deal with the challenges of guiding agencies in an ethically sound, fundamentally fair, and organizationally skilled manner. The Institute is part of the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology at Georgia State, a unit of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. Focusing on core principles of Leadership Development, Organizational Cohesiveness, and Community Engagement, the Institute is designed to assist current and future leaders who want to make comprehensive and evidence-based change in the field.
Leadership Development
We focus on enhancing the skills of current leaders by providing innovative and provocative concepts that are closely linked with evidence-proven techniques.
Organizational Cohesiveness
We aim to instill a robust understanding of the importance of working together in an organization not only to accomplish the mission, but also to develop a binding common spirit in the agency that inspires enthusiasm, devotion, and a strong sense of the honor.
Community Engagement
We strive to build a resilient awareness of the various communities the agency serves so that trust can be built, and durable ties can be established.
Operational Scope
Operationally, the mission is carried out in two ways: Training and Consultation.
Training
Our training model is built around a comprehensive curriculum whereby criminal justice professionals visit the downtown Atlanta campus for six full-day training sessions that are delivered once per month. Training is produced by highly competent professors and law enforcement executives who aim to blend evidence-based best practices and practical experience to instill leadership development in attendees.
Program offerings span all levels of leadership, including a Supervisory-Level Enhancement Program, designed for Sergeants, a Commend-Level Program designed for mid-level supervisors such as Lieutenants and Captains, and an Executive Development Program designed for members of the upper-command staff. In addition, specialized courses will be offered by LDIG that focus on current issues or agency-specific needs.
All training is deigned to qualify for training credit from the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council and academic credit at either the undergraduate or graduate level after follow-up registration from Georgia State.
Consultation
The Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, and its parent at Georgia State, the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, have a knowledgeable and diverse faculty with vast experience dealing with public safety needs. The department also has a wide network of agency personnel who have a deep understanding of leadership concepts and concerns. As such, the Institute stands ready to provide technical assistance to agencies in meeting their leadership development needs.
In the past, the department has worked closely with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) by providing research assistance with such issues as leadership development, the development and deployment of violent crime interventions, as well as various program evaluation. It has also provided technical assistance to the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Public Safety Training Center and the GBI. Since 1994 the department has been integrally involved with the MARTA Police Department’s promotional process and in 2017 partnered with APD and the Atlanta Police Foundation to form the Atlanta Police Leadership Institute.
Training Courses
Are you ready to make a difference?
The field of law enforcement is facing a myriad of challenges that call for bold, skillful leadership. Today’s administrators and supervisors need to have a clear understanding of evidence-based best practices to fight crime and lead people in creative and transformational ways. In addition, they must be committed to working together in their organizations to develop a common spirit that promotes buy-in and a strong sense of commitment. Finally, today’s law enforcement leaders must have a deep understanding of communities being served and their needs, in order to build a sense of trust and cooperation.
Are you ready to make that commitment and take on new, courageous leadership initiatives to help change the face of the profession? If so, join us at LDIG as we take challenging and innovative steps to create ground-breaking ways to manage law enforcement agencies and the hard-working dedicated officers who work there and risk their lives daily to protect our communities.
Scott Kreher, Chief of Police, MARTA Police Department