Administrative Officers Course (AOC)
Background
The Southern Police Institute is an integral part of the Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Louisville. It is an advanced educational and training institute whose mission is to enhance the professional development of law enforcement practitioners. Since the creation of the Southern Police Institute in 1951, its program of instruction has been based on the belief that law enforcement is a demanding activity requiring the highest level of professional preparation. The Administrative Officers Course has been offered continuously since 1951. Today, it is our primary leadership development program. It is designed to provide a comprehensive and challenging educational experience that is intended to enhance the professional and personal lives of our students.
Course Description
The Administrative Officers Course is a twelve week (480 hour) in-residence, accredited college level educational program. The course curriculum is designed to develop informed, effective, ethically and technically competent law enforcement managers who are capable of assuming positions of leadership in their respective agencies. It is an appropriate course for individuals in or about to be promoted to middle and upper management positions. This comprehensive development program provides instruction in law enforcement issues, diagnostic problem solving, and administrative law. The varied methods of instruction used by the faculty permit participants to engage their individual creativity and initiative through the analytical examination of issues and problems faced by contemporary law enforcement executives. This course is required as a prerequisite for appointment to the position of police chief by many government jurisdictions throughout the United States. Numerous graduates of the Administrative Officers Course are among today's law enforcement leaders directing agencies throughout the United States and abroad.
Program Uniqueness
The Administrative Officers Course since its creation has attracted participants from law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, the Pacific Rim nations, and Europe. The diversity of this agency helps to foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and fellowship in which participants have the opportunity to learn from and share ideas with individuals they might not meet during the normal course of their professional activities. This interchange enhances the participant's skills in the art of cooperation, negotiation, compromise, and consensus. It ensures that class members will leave the Southern Police Institute with a network of graduates that will provide an outstanding resource from which they can seek assistance for organizational problems throughout their careers. In addition, the participants are exposed to a wide range of thought on the application of the program subject matter by experienced administrators, educators, practitioners, and Administrative Officers Course graduates who visit regularly to lecture. The institute's comprehensive educational environment and world recognized methods of instruction encourage a commitment to learning and self-improvement long after the course is finished.
The Graduates of this program will:
- Possess the knowledge and skills required to manage and to direct the resources of any law enforcement agency
- Be prepared to deal effectively with the complicated and important administrative issues confronting law enforcement managers
- Possess an understanding of current law enforcement operational philosophy and practice
- Possess an understanding of the contemporary legal responsibilities of law enforcement administrators
- Be able to apply contemporary methods of problem identification, evaluation and solution
- Possess the knowledge and skills required to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement operations