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
