Sheriff’s Office hosts premier leadership training

Fourteen law enforcement professionals from six states took part in the FBI-LEEDA’s first ever Five Star Chief Executive Institute hosted by the Steele County Sheriff’s Office last week.

The pinnacle of law enforcement leadership training took place over two weeks—one in early February and the other last week. FBI-LEEDA is the national organization in which Sheriff Lon Thiele currently presides as president.

Participants must have completed the Trilogy courses of supervisor leadership, command leadership and executive leadership prior to taking the Five Star course, according to Jacques Battiste, executive director of FBI-LEEDA, who was in Steele County for the training.

Three Steele County law enforcement officers, Dan Peach of Blooming Prairie and Sgts. Mike Smith and Andy Seifert of the Sheriff’s Office, have all previously completed Trilogy and took part in last week’s Five Star training.

“There was nothing further to inspire them after the Trilogy training,” Battiste explained. “This takes them to the next level.”

The two-week training was broken into 18 modules. Some of the topics included internal and external engagement, managing across generational team members, public official engagement, crisis communications, leadership integrity, understanding police liability, public safety wellness, budget administration and line of duty injuries and deaths.

The curriculum for the Five Star leadership course was formed after what Battiste called a Beta test with 45 students from 17 states. “We took their feedback from the experience and went back to the lab to retool,” he said.

The course is intentionally kept smaller in order for students to have face-to-face contact and more class interaction, Thiele said. Battiste also pointed out the importance of meeting in person. “You lose the value of being in the front line of learning from each other with online classes,” he said.

“This is where the nation’s top leaders come to think bigger, lead bolder and shape the future of public safety,” said Thiele, who has served on FBI-LEEDA board for six years. “This training sharpened their ability to make strategic, accountable decisions—and return home equipped to lead with vision, integrity and impact.”

Michael Robinson, Sr., who serves as chief operating officer of FBI-LEEDA, said everyone in the class cares about public safety, and most of them inspire to be leaders in public safety. “We are helping them so they can be successful in those positions,” he said.

Robinson said the goal of the Five Star training is to set up the students for success whether they are currently serving as chiefs or inspire to be chiefs.

One of the students inspiring to be chief is Peach of Blooming Prairie. Robinson noted that Peach paid out of pocket to take part in the training. Robinson and Battiste consider Peach to be “one of those sparks” out there for police leadership. “It’s a rarity to find young officers (like Peach) that are mentally prepared for leadership to that level,” they said.

Battiste said it’s important to get to police professionals early enough in their careers so “we won’t see that officer kneeling on the neck of somebody for nine minutes on national TV,” referring to the George Floyd case in 2020 in Minneapolis.

Both Battiste and Robinson shared how they enjoy hearing chiefs in the class having the “A-ha” moments and wondering why they didn’t have this training before they became chiefs.

“It becomes contagious with all the topics being discussed,” said Robinson, noting they focus on all the “potential land mines” associated with police work.

Battiste said police work is especially draining for top law enforcement officials with the longevity of being a chief only at 18 months to two and a half years. “We are preparing them for the pitfalls that could curse them,” he said.

Added Thiele, “This extensive training is something everyone should have. We bring in top-notch instructors, and by bringing in the best, it’s an overall experience that you’ll never forget.”

Battiste said the Five Star training “pushes us over the hump of the stereotype that we don’t do much for (police) training.”

FBI-LEEDA is currently gaining support from federal police agencies for training, Robinson said.

“I’m very proud that I was able to host the inaugural class in Steele County to strengthen the leadership and professionalism of soon to be chiefs and sheriffs,” Thiele said.