West Point Leadership ProgramFinal Exam

Sgt. Jack Hines and

Lt. George Vanderhule

Project

• Incorporating the West Point Leadership Theories Into The Austin Police Department’s Sergeants Academy

Areas of Interest

• Prior To 2000, APD Provided No Formal Leadership Training To First Line Supervisors.

• Newly promoted Sergeants Historically Learned To Be Leaders Through Trial And Error.

• APD Is Experiencing Rapid Growth, Resulting In An Inexperienced Patrol & Supervisory Force.

Areas of Interest (continued)• Promotion To Sergeant Is Based Solely Upon

An Annual Competitive Civil Service Exam.

• Sgts. Eligibility List Is Established In Rank Order, Using Test Score and Longevity. The Eligibility List Lasts For 12 Months From The Exam Date.

• All Promotions to Sgt. Are Made In Rank Order From The Existing Eligibility List.

Areas of Interest (continued)

• 1997 City Audit Criticized APD For Failing To Provide Management Or Leadership Training.

• Under Existing Paradigm, Selected Individual Managers Attended Specialized Management Schools. Information Acquired was Not Systematically Shared With Other Managers.

Areas of Interest (continued)

• Responding To Audit, In 1999 APD Created and Implemented a 5 Week Sergeants’ Academy.

• Top 35 Candidates From Sgts. Eligibility List Are Required To Attend the Sergeants’ Academy.

• Current Sergeants Academy Only Teaches The Mechanical Process of First Line Supervision.

Areas of Interest (continued)

• T.C.L.E.O.S.E. Requires 20 Hours Of State Mandated Training For New Supervisors.

• Chief Knee Requires All Sergeants Academy Students To Also Complete T.C.L.E.O.S.E. Basic Instructors Course.

• During Instructors Course Students Must Prepare And Present 2 Class Presentations.

Areas of Interest (continued)

• Currently, Student Class Presentation Can Be On Any Topic.

• Governor’s Center For Management And Development Taught 40 Hour Segment in Sergeants Academy.

• Segment Taught By Governor’s Center For Management Was Poorly Received By Students.

Areas of Interest (continued)

• Existing Sergeants Academy Does Not Teach Principles And Theories of Leadership.

• Existing Sergeants Academy Does Not Teach Supervisors How To Direct Subordinates Activities Towards the Organizations Goals And Objectives.

Areas of Interest (continued)

• Though APD Is Committed To “Community Policing”, The Current Sergeants Academy Does Not Include “District Representative Training For Supervisors”.

Analyze

• Which West Point Leadership Theories Apply?

–ALL OF THEM!!!

Analysis (continued)

• Adult Development Theory.

• Attribution Theory.

• Leaders Problem Solving Model.

• Equity Theory.

• Expectancy Theory.

• Motivation Through Consequences.

Analyze (continued)

• Job Redesign.

• Groups As Open Systems.

• Socialization.

• Group Development.

• Cohesion.

• Group Decision Making.

Analyze (continued)

• Stress Management and Counseling Skills.

• Bases Of Power.

• Vertical Dyad Linkage.

• Situational Leadership

• Transformational Leadership.

• Conflict Mediation.

Response (Take Action Plan)

• Introduce Into the Sergeants Academy Curriculum the West Point Leadership Theories.

• Replace Existing Governor’s Center For Management 40 hour Module With An Overview Of WPL Theories.

• WPL Theories 40 Hours Module To Be Taught During First Week.

Response (Take Action Plan)continued

• Identify WPL Theory Instructors For The Sergeants Academy From Current Leadership Academy Class Students.

• Assist Instructors In Developing For The Sergeants Academy Condensed WPL Theory Lesson Plans, Course Guide, and Study Material.

WPL Theories 40 Hour Module Day 1

• Adult Development Theory

• Leader Problem Solving Model

• Equity Theory

• Expectancy Theory

• Motivating Through Consequences

• Job Redesign

WPL Theories 40 Hour ModuleDay 2

• Groups As Open Systems

• Socialization

• Group Development

• Cohesion

• Group Decision Making

• Bases Of Power

• Vertical Dyad Linkage

WPL Theories 40 Hour ModuleDay 3

• Situational Leadership

• Transformational Leadership

• Stress Management and Counseling

• Conflict Mediation

WPL Theories 40 Hour ModuleDay 4

• District Representatives For Supervisors Training– New Course Developed by District Reps– Needed if Sgts. are to direct their shifts

community policing efforts

Response (Take Action Plan)continued

• Incorporate West Point Leadership Theories Into T.C.L.E.O.S.E. Basic Instructors School

Require Students to incorporate WPL Theories into each of their 2 student presentation.

Reinforces WPL Theories through practical application

Respond (Take Action Plan)continued

• Incorporate WPL Theories Into Other Existing Sergeants Academy Topics, such as:

• Discipline Issues

• Internal Affairs

• FTO Counseling

• Incident Command

• Cultural Diversity

Respond (Take Action Plan)continued

• Family Violence

• Employee Rights

• Sexual Harassment

• Ethics

• Supervisor/Employee Interaction

• Role Identification For Sergeants

Assess

• Questionnaire To Students Prior To Sergeants Academy Determining Previous Exposure To Leadership Training.

• Students Complete “Instructors Critique” rating instructors effectiveness, knowledge, and understanding of topic presented.

Assess (continued)

• Course Evaluation By Students Upon Completion of Sergeants Academy Assessing Students’ perception of WPL Theories Applicability To Job Of First-Line Supervisors.

Assess (continued)

• 6 Month Follow-up Questionnaire To Newly Promoted Sergeants

• 1 Year Follow-up Questionnaire To Newly Promoted Sergeants

• At both 6 months and 1 Year After Promotion, Questionnaire To Lieutenants Assessing Sergeant’s Performance and Leadership Style

Implementation

• There is no additional expense involved in incorporating WPL Theories into the Sergeant Academy

• WPL Theories will be incorporated into the next Sergeants Academy

• The Next Sergeants Academy will begin November 27, 2000

West Point Leadership ProgramFinal Exam

Sgt. Jack Hines and

Lt. George Vanderhule