LELA Command School

LELA Command School

In general, we expect that Command School participants will be in positions to influence decisions in the organization. The content provided on leadership and management skills and law-enforcement topics is designed to offer ideas and tools that will be of benefit to the participants and also to their agencies as participants lead conversations in how to consider use of the ideas and tools for their organizations more broadly. In some agencies the Command School may support succession planning, preparing command staff to compete for positions at the highest ranks.  Command School graduates also earn the Heartland  CPM national credential.

The Heartland CPM Program

The Heartland CPM (R) program has been continuously accredited by the National Certified Public Manager Consortium since 1993, one of the longest running programs in the country.  The decades-long history demonstrates the staying power of the competency-based curriculum and the positive effect the program has on its participants and the organizations that send them.  

Nearly 1,900 public managers have graduated from the Heartland CPM program and have joined the international network of over 40,000 credentialed public managers worldwide.

Time Commitment

The program runs on a calendar year schedule. Sessions begin in January with a week-long intensive, then classes meet with their cohorts two consecutive days/month through November.  Sessions run from approximately 8:00-4:00. Command School typically does not meet in July. 

Command School graduates have a graduation ceremony in November, and are also invited  to be a part of the CPM graduation ceremony, which is usually the first Friday in December in the State Capitol Building in Topeka.   

Investing in Command School

Graduates of Command School benefit from a curriculum carefully chosen to address the specific leadership challenges relating to law enforcement.  The program blends academic research with practical, real world examples to deliver a well-rounded approach.  Participants not only learn from each other, but build a life-long network through small classes that allow group dialogue.  On graduation, in addition to the Command School network, participants also benefit from the broader, national CPM network around the country.