SECLA Graduates Seventh Class
January 31, 2008
CHATTANOOGA -- College professors, criminologists, and law enforcement executives from across the region have completed a seventh University of Tennessee program, originally launched in January 2001. A graduation ceremony for the Southeastern Command & Leadership Academy (SECLA) was held January 25 at the University Center on the University of Tennessee Chattanooga campus.
Sterling Owen, IV, chief of police for the Knoxville Police Department was the keynote speaker. Other scheduled speakers included, Dr. Helen Eigenberg, UT Chattanooga Chair, Department of Criminal Justice; Dr. Vic Bumphus, Professor at UT Chattanooga’s School for Criminal Justice; Mike Uher, Lieutenant for the Oak Ridge Police Department and SECLA Class President; and law enforcement, university and community leaders.
Mike Hill, SECLA Program Manager at UT's Law Enforcement Innovation Center (LEIC) described the ceremony as a very important occasion for not only the participants, but for the successful partnerships created between universities, communities, and law enforcement throughout the country.
"This academy, often referred to as LEIC’s “Command College”, brought together command staff officers from law enforcement agencies in several states, and some of the region's top criminal justice scholars, in preparing the officers for increased responsibilities in senior administrative positions," Hill said. "The participants have been through a 7-month process that has provided them with new skills and knowledge that should have both immediate and long-term impact on their respective agency and community”.
"The University of Tennessee appreciates the willingness of our law enforcement, community leaders, and funding agents in making this solid investment in public safety. This program, funded by the US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, focuses on preparing law enforcement supervisors for the future of their community’s quality of life, as well as the future of their profession."
Hill said the course was divided into seven one-week sessions, which were held over seven months. The students included top law enforcement officials from Chattanooga, Columbia, Johnson City, Knoxville, Nashville, Oak Ridge, Gulfport MS, and Pine Bluff, AR.
The program offers 12 undergraduate credit hours or six graduate level credit hours through UTC. Training sessions were held on the campus of UT Chattanooga.
Areas of study included leadership and management, emerging trends in law enforcement, ethics and integrity, risk management and liability, planning and budgeting, managing diversity and media relations.
Hill said the program's faculty members included criminologists, Dr. Vic Kappeler, author and founding editor of Police Forum and Police Liability; and Dr. Larry Gaines, professor and chair of the Criminal Justice Department at California State University.
With this graduation, the academy now has 173 alumni representing law enforcement agencies in seven states. Preparations are being made for the next session (eighth) that will begin in July 2008. Applications are now being accepted and registration is open to all law enforcement agencies. Funding for the next class is being provided by the State of Tennessee, Office of Criminal Justice Programs, and the University of Tennessee.
The academy is a partnership between UT's Law Enforcement Innovation Center, UTC Continuing Education Division, UTC School of Criminal Justice, and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police.