Professional Development Catalog

Multi-Day Conferences

Our two multi-day conferences are annual events that bring together policing professionals from across the state and beyond, to learn, network, and make connections with our industry partners.

The California Police Chiefs Association’s Annual Training Symposium provides professional development and networking opportunities for California’s police chiefs, their seconds in command and management staff. The symposium provides up to 13 hours of POST CPT from the more than 15 workshops offered during the program. Attendees get caught up on the latest in innovations in training, officer wellness and legislative and legal issues. The event also includes a trade show where attendees can see the latest in public safety technology and other products and services.

The purpose of the WLLE Symposium is to bring together law enforcement professionals in a supportive and empowering environment, enabling us all to learn from the knowledge and experience of others. WLLE® is a unique opportunity to network and connect with women and men who can help you succeed in your future endeavors. The symposium's goal is to continue to provide dynamic, contemporary training presented by subject matter experts in their fields and designed to help develop both professional and sworn members of the law enforcement community.

Education Courses

Our education courses feature small class sizes of 40 people or less, and provide in depth education for policing executives on a variety of specialized topics.

View our instructor roster here

CPCA has partnered with the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in Southern California to offer you an exceptional career development program. This one-of-a-kind west coast Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) is a premier program designed to enhance your leadership skills. Conducted in a rigorous academic setting, this two-week executive leadership experience brings together an array of relevant subject matter experts to enrich your experience on a personal and professional level. The 14-day course is on the Claremont Graduate University Campus.

The curriculum of this program encompasses a wide range of key topics in a Drucker inspired learning environment where the principles of Peter F. Drucker are imbued with a law enforcement perspective. Some of these topics include: Application of Drucker Principles to your Organization, Managing and Communicating the Police Brand to the Public, Teams in Organizations: Developing a Culture of Collaboration and Leadership, Leadership Decision Making: Introduction to Decision Science and Evidence-Based Decision Making, Creating an Exemplary Policing Organization, Changing Culture in a Police Organization: A New Path for Modern Policing; Leading Through Conflict and Diversity, Women in Leadership: Issues Facing Men and Women, Creating and Maintaining the High Reliability Organization, and Policing and Social Influence, and more. 

This course is a part of our Executive Leadership Certification Program. Learn more here.

This is a POST certified course that serves as an informational pillar for police executives of any tenure, including newly appointed chiefs, executives who aspire to become the head of a policing agency, and tenured police chiefs and executives who want to achieve or continue success in policing governance.  The curriculum is also relevant and valuable for management-level police leaders who want to learn ways to better support their chief executives.

During this course, participants will learn, share, and discuss ideas and innovations to meet today’s expectations of police leaders to govern efficiently, effectively, courageously, and responsively. Participants will learn about executive recruiting and the competitive processes aspiring agency heads typically encounter in their quest to be selected; they will learn the considerations for establishing or changing agency culture, managing crises, navigating legal and legislative demands, the police role in city or county government, health efficacy for the police executive, and other thought-provoking concepts of influential executive leadership in today’s policing profession.

This course is a part of our Executive Leadership Certification Program. Learn more here.

Participants in Critical Considerations for the Police Executive will learn and discuss myriad philosophies, approaches, pitfalls, and considerations inherent to common successes and failures of contemporary police executive leadership.

During the course, highly esteemed instructors with national, state, and local portfolios in policing leadership will drive the exchange of thought-provoking concepts, experiences, and strategies—the tools every police executive needs to effectively steward their organization through the critical challenges facing the policing profession in general, and individual police agencies specifically. The course material delivers compelling wisdom for the police executive’s success, including considerations on how to propel a vision for the organization, shape agency culture, navigate through controversy, and deliver on the demands of a community.

This course is a part of our Executive Leadership Certification Program. Learn more here.

This third and newest addition to the ELCP courses builds on the principles of the first two courses, driving participants to engage with leadership concepts and leverage the collective wisdom of their peers and instructors for a unique professional development opportunity. This course also places a large focus on the Art of Change — challenging and empowering participants to deep dive into issues around functional organizational reform, voluntary and involuntary organizational compliance, building a culture that embraces change, change innovation in stewardship, and the real-world implementation of contemporary change strategies. 

(Formerly known as Seconds in Command)

This one-day, POST-certified course is designed to cultivate a successful relationship between police management teams and their Chiefs. This course is designed to be taken by command staff or middle management ranks who hold significant leadership responsibilities. This course is NOT designed for those currently sitting in the role of Chief.

Through a variety of learning activities, participants will gain valuable insights into the issues, problems, and practices essential for excelling as a leader in your department. This thoughtfully designed training is an invaluable opportunity for current and aspiring leaders to enhance their leadership capabilities.

It explores the dynamics of followership and its impact on effective leadership, helping participants navigate complex and challenging situations with poise and strategic thinking. The program also features an executive panel discussion, offering insights from experienced leaders on best practices, and includes interactive breakout exercises and group discussions to reinforce learning and foster collaboration.

Many departments are continuing to face challenges when more is being asked and mandated while resources are maintained or cut. As technology, transparency and public expectations change evolve, law enforcement needs to set a stable course to provide a high level of customer service and address external and internal issues. Many agencies are developing and updating their business (strategic) plans to continue their mission and improve the likelihood of success. Part of this plan is examining staff development, retention, and recruitment and training the current and future leaders of our agencies.

The California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) has designed an intensive, one-day, POST Certified, course for Chiefs of Police and Seconds-in-Command to give them the skills necessary to create these plans expeditiously and cost effectively. This class will examine the strategic and succession planning processes and combines the discussion of current strategic and succession plans with interactive exercises.

Areas to be covered include:

  • Change Management
  • Identifying Values, Mission Statement and Vision
  • Assessment
  • Issue Identification
  • Goals and Strategies
  • Workforce Analysis and Gap Identification
  • Staff Development, Recruitment, Retention and Knowledge Transfer Strategies
  • Evaluation Measures

Students will be provided with a variety of strategic plans and material necessary to develop and implement agency plans.

Command presence at the executive level extends beyond leadership capabilities with your teams. It's also about having the preparation and proficiency when those outside your sphere of influence come forward with questions, stories and possible pain points for you, your officers and your community. In this training, leaders will be given an extensive look into how their strengths can help chart the course for the successful survival of a news story and how they and their agency can thrive post-crisis. The course is designed with leaders in mind to ensure their skill sets complement the strategies and practical exercises presented.

Key components of the course include strategy sessions that analyze real-life law enforcement crisis scenarios, the development of strategic communication strategies for addressing various topics and questions, establishment of communication benches within agencies to support internal and external messaging, and on-camera practical exercises aimed at enhancing leaders' proficiency and confidence during interviews. Through these targeted sessions, leaders gain the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively navigate and lead their agencies through challenging situations and communication demands.

This highly interactive, POST Certified course explores the crucial partnership between city managers and police chiefs — a relationship that symbolizes staff alignment and professionalism and sets the tone for city governance. This course offers a unique opportunity for the Chief and City Manager to spend 1:1 time establishing and building a positive professional relationship, and learning more about each other's roles.

Participants will delve into essential topics such as the roles, needs, and expectations of both positions, navigating politics and interactions with elected officials, effective communication in both routine and crisis situations, building trust, and fostering community relations and engagement. Additionally, the course will address current and emerging issues and highlight the traits of the most effective managers and chiefs, ensuring that the manager-chief team operates at its best. 

Supporting a Police Chief effectively requires a deep understanding of expectations and adept management of responsibilities. In this three-day course, executive assistants and other professional support staff learn essential skills to excel in their role and handle challenges. From practical tips on working closely with the Chief, to conflict resolution and managing records, participants have the opportunity to gain a variety of insights on various aspects of their role.

A highlight of the course is its focus on technology, offering practical tips for using tools like Outlook, Excel, and more. By mastering these tools, executive assistants can streamline their work and better support their Chiefs in the modern digital landscape.

The program emphasizes leveraging personal strengths for better performance and handling tough situations, through interactive sessions and group discussions. Additionally, the course covers time management, organization, and transitioning to support a new Chief smoothly, ensuring departmental efficiency.

One-Day Summits

Our One-Day Summits are responsive to YOUR needs, meaning that we rotate topics in and out in order to focus on ones that are currently most relevant to our members. Please reference the event calendar to view the summits happening this year.

As policing continues to evolve, so too does the technology upon which it relies. This event provides law enforcement professionals with an invaluable opportunity to learn about cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance efficiency and improve outcomes within their agencies. For those seeking to implement new or upgraded technologies, this event is particularly relevant. Presented in a panel format by agencies currently utilizing these technologies, attendees will gain insights into the rationale and methodologies for selecting, implementing, and integrating the featured innovations. Participants will benefit from the firsthand experiences of those who have successfully navigated these processes, including securing funding and identifying best practices. This comprehensive one-day event promises to equip attendees with the knowledge and confidence needed to become technologically empowered.

This summit aims to encourage, educate and inspire organizations to embrace a culture of wellness. This is an event focused on addressing the physical, mental and emotional well-being of policing professionals. This summit aims to provide support, resources, and education to help personnel cope with the challenges and stresses associated with this demanding profession. Attendees will benefit from learning about contemporary strategies and emerging trends addressing organizational wellness, and department leaders will learn about proactive and practical approaches to creating a culture of wellness within their organizations as a trauma-informed leader.

This event brings together policing professionals to discuss and address issues related to traffic safety and law enforcement. Focus will be on strategies and best practices aimed at improving overall road safety. Attendees will hear from agencies who are considered experts in the field of traffic safety to provide insights and information addressing the complex challenges association with traffic safety, with the ultimate goal of promoting safer roadways for all.

This summit provides a platform for policing professionals to delve into a wide range of recruitment and retention topics. Participants will have the unique opportunity to connect with law enforcement leaders, share insights, and acquire valuable strategies aimed at enhancing recruitment efforts and retaining top talent within their agencies. Through a highly interactive panel format, attendees will explore best practices, innovative approaches, and practical solutions to the pressing challenges of building and maintaining a robust and effective police force. By addressing these issues head-on, this training is designed to equip law enforcement professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to ensure a strong and capable police force for the future.

The health and wellness of law enforcement personnel is a top priority for Chiefs of Police and command staff. A key aspect of this issue is the effectiveness of the treatment provided following a line of duty injury. This program is designed to help chiefs, senior command staff, and human resources professionals achieve better recovery outcomes from the Workers’ Compensation system for their injured personnel. The course will provide an organizational approach that senior leaders can use to drive the treatment process. It will cover how treatment decisions are made, including delays, denials, and approvals, and explain the legal foundations that allow leaders to exert their authority and influence. Additionally, the program will address the true economic cost of injuries, offer protocols to ensure accountability, and discuss strategies for overcoming barriers to change.