Executive Development Training
WASCOP seeks to provide executive and management services to public law enforcement agencies in Wyoming. The provision of executive development services is one of the main goals of WASCOP and occupies an on-going prominent place in WASCOP’s Strategic Plan. One of these services is training to develop our future law enforcement leaders. WASCOP has undertaken to provide to its members free training that will develop leadership, management and executive skills; promote professionalism and integrity; and equip our law enforcement leaders to better serve their communities.
In 2010 and 2011 WASCOP hosted Stephen Kent of The Results Group Ltd. and his ‘Executive Academy’. In these two sessions nearly 100 Wyoming law enforcement leaders received this training. In 2012 WASCOP partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police to provide 20 hours of free leadership training at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy. This training, Leading by Legacy, equipped 28 law enforcement leaders in the area of individual leadership skills, organizational leadership and community leadership.
WASCOP is also a supporter of the WLEA Administrator’s Conference which draws over 100 law enforcement leaders each year and U.S. Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee. The LECC brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel for training in areas of common concern.
Assessment Center Project //
In 2008 WASCOP members authorized the development of an Assessment Center (AC) to screen candidates for promotion to First Line Supervisor (FLS). The WASCOP Management Services Committee worked to identify the qualities Wyoming agencies desired in first line supervisors for their agencies. These qualities, or dimensions, were then defined and performance examples identified. This list of dimensions was presented to the membership for them to identify which were most important to their agency and a master list of 12 dimensions was identified. WASCOP contracted for the development of instruments to assess these dimensions, trained the Management Services Committee members as the first team of assessors, and beta tested and refined the new instruments. Beginning in June 2010 WASCOP began offering the Assessment Center to agencies in the state. The assessment center can be, and has been, used to assess candidates for promotion to first line supervisor positions in patrol, detention, and communications. As of October 1, 2012 there have been 24 assessment centers conducted statewide for 12 agencies that have assessed nearly 100 candidates. These assessments are provided free of charge to the member agency. Due to the members’ response to the AC project in 2011 seven additional assessors were trained. Assessors are experienced law enforcement leaders who receive 20 hours of training on the use of the instruments and then participate as an observer in a live assessment before becoming an active assessor. WASCOP now has 15 assessors distributed regionally around the state.
In 2012 WASCOP members authorized the development of a second assessment center to screen candidates for promotion to Mid-Level Management (MLM) positions. The development of the MLM AC is underway with the review of over 30 job descriptions from Wyoming agencies to identify and define the dimensions desired by member agencies for their mid-level managers. Once the dimension list is completed our members will again be asked to prioritize these dimensions, instruments will be developed and beta-tested prior to the MLM AC being offered to agencies.
Police Chief Selection Assistance //
WASCOP provides assistance to community leaders in the process of selecting new Police Chiefs. WASCOP provides subject matter expertise to help identify community and agency needs, facilitate the selection process through developing and conducting candidate screening and interviewing, and general consulting services. These services are provided free of charge and aims to provide communities with police leadership that will meet the policing needs of the community and be a community leader.