Senior Police Leadership Micro-credential Certificate
A unique online professional program for practicing police leaders, both sworn and civilian, at the sergeant level or above, offered exclusively at Trent University Durham GTA
Successful leaders in the highest ranks of today’s police services require a unique set of skills: strategic vision and planning, political prowess, team building and motivation, media expertise, budgeting, and an understanding of complex community needs. These types of skills and training cannot be attained through career assignments alone – today’s police leaders need a new senior police leadership curriculum.
Unlike other leadership programs, this certificate is designed specifically to train and provide police leaders with the wide range of competencies needed to excel within senior positions in the policing environment. Graduates of the program will possess an understanding of the complex accountability, legal, and governance frameworks of police services and police services boards. Graduates will demonstrate competency development in leadership, decision-making, program design considering ethnic, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues, and relationship building with Indigenous communities.
Taught by the experts
The Micro-credential Certificate in Senior Police Leadership is unique in that it employs teaching teams of academics and serving or retired senior police leaders who, together, bring a thorough understanding of the benefits and importance of theory and practical experience, and a theoretical and practical understanding of the concepts under study.
Earn your certificate in less than 12 Months & on your schedule
This new certificate is attained through the completion of six online modules. Each module is six weeks long and involves two 3-hour online sessions per week. The full micro-credential certificate can be completed in under 12 months. The flexibility of the program also allows learners to complete course blocks on their own schedule and choose from a variety of dates that are most convenient.
Program Fees
Fees for the Micro-credential Certificate in Senior Police Leadership are module-based. The fee for each module is $750, or $4500 for all six modules, and there are no additional fees for textbooks or materials as all of the readings and module content is available online
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for this program, candidates must satisfy one of the following:
- An active police officer with the rank of sergeant, or who has been successful in the promotion process and is awaiting promotion (a member of a lower rank may apply but must provide evidence of progressive leadership responsibility);
- An active civilian supervisor of a police service;
- An active member of the executive or a supervisory staff member of a police association (a supervisory staff member must be endorsed in writing by a representative of the executive of the police association); or
- A member of a police services board or supervisory staff member on the staff of a police services board.
Transcripts are not required.
How To Register
Registration can be completed through the micro-credential portal. Approximately 2-3 business days after the registration form has been submitted, you will receive an email confirming your registration and next steps.
Students are not eligible to use any transfer credits towards this certificate from any previously completed post-secondary courses. Transcripts are not required.
For any questions on applying, please contact microcredential@trentu.ca
Register Now
Program details and courses
Each module is designed around a mix of lectures, case studies, and seminar discussions to ensure that every opportunity is utilized to learn from the experiences of academics, senior practitioners and learners alike, using best practices for meaningful professional learning.
The Certificate program consists of the following six modules, all of which are mandatory:
Applied and Informed Decision-Making Principles Module
Governance and Civilian Oversight Module
Human Resources and Labour Relations within Police Services
Each module is self-contained and can be taken on its own.
Course Descriptions
2023/2024 Program Schedule
2023
- Sept 12 - Oct 19 - Foundations
- Oct 31 - Dec 7 - Leadership Skills
2024
- January 9 - February 8 - Applied and Informed Decision-making Principles
- February 20 - March 28 - Governance and Civilian Oversight
- April 9 - May 16 - Human Resources and Labour Relations within Police Services
- May 27 - July 4 - Policing Operations
- September 10 - October 17 - Foundations
- October 29 - December 5 - Leadership Skills
Foundations Module
The Foundation Module is focused on providing police service leaders with an introduction to the practical skills and knowledge needed to provide effective leadership and oversight for their organizations. Each week is focused on providing key skills, knowledge and understanding for each of the subject areas of the certificate program, including leadership, decision making, police operations, governance, and civilian oversight, human resources, and administrative functions. Among the discussion topics in these areas are responsibilities and accountabilities, equity, diversity and inclusion, bias, and understanding Indigenous Issues as they relate to police leadership decision making and creative policy initiatives.
Foundations Week 1: Understanding Leadership and the Challenges of Leading in a Police Service
Foundations Week 2: Applied and Informed Decision-Making Principles
Foundations Week 3: Police Governance and Civilian Oversight
Foundations Week 4: Human Resources Practices and Strategies
Foundations Week 5: Understanding Indigenous Issues as they relate to Police Leadership, Decision-Making and Policy Initiatives
Foundations Week 6: Policing Operations
Leadership Skills Module
Police-service leaders will gain the practical skills and knowledge needed to provide effective leadership for their organizations while providing a positive influence in their respective communities. The module is designed around three main themes: the role of the leader, modeling the way, and communicating to persuade and influence, both inside and outside the police service.
Applied and Informed Decision-Making Principles Module
This module will offer the learner perspectives, principles, and tools required to make analytical and informed decisions in a policing environment. Drawing on fundamental insights from economics and statistics, this module will combine theory with application and case studies. Learners are expected to offer examples from their experiences of where the topics being covered could have been used in the past and how they could be used in the future. This module will combine lectures with in-class workshops and assignments. A tablet or computer with Microsoft Excel is required.
Governance and Civilian Oversight Module
Through readings, lectures, discussions and a case study, this module will give learners a deeper understanding of the legislative requirements on police agencies and leaders. They will develop a thorough understanding of the roles, responsibilities, relationships, and processes among police services (and their leaders) and the authorities and agencies that oversee them. Among the topics are police services boards, the Ministries of the Solicitor and Attorney General and their divisions, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), and the Community Safety and Policing Act.
Policing Operations Module
This module is focused on providing police-service leaders with the practical skills and knowledge needed to plan and execute operations in support of police-service activities. This module will analyze the rationale for and legal framework within which police services conduct operations and will analyze the unique operating environment within which police services plan and execute operations. The Incident Response and Community Safety and Well-Being frameworks will also be reviewed. This module will also examine the enabling functions and resources available to police services to facilitate police operations .
Human Resource Module
By following the life cycle of a police member, critical topics such as employee engagement, performance management, succession planning and equity, and diversity and inclusion will be discussed. Employee wellness will be discussed, and students will understand how to reduce employee absence and occupational illness using wellness strategies. Participants will gain a clear understanding of human-rights law, employment law and collective agreement interpretation necessary to avoid expensive, unnecessary, and divisive litigation. Leadership that focuses on members remaining engaged and productive throughout a long career will be the focus of this module.
