Lieutenant Doug Lightfoot of the City of Hilliard Division of Police recently graduated from the Ohio Public Safety Leadership Academy (PSLA).
He was among 31 graduates of the 10th class following an 11-week accredited, college-level training course in partnership with The Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs.
Lt. Lightfoot, who was selected as the class speaker, joined the Division of Police in 2004. He has served in various roles within the department, including as a patrol officer and sergeant, K9 handler, and detective. Additionally, he has been an instructor in the Division’s Women’s Self Defense and Citizen’s Police Academy programs.
PSLA was hosted at the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Training Academy and was offered at no cost to agencies through casino tax revenue distributed to the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services for the purpose of supporting law enforcement training.
Throughout the 11 weeks of training and classes, Lt. Lightfoot and his fellow graduates learned skills necessary to manage any division within a law enforcement agency, demonstrated preparedness to take on additional leadership responsibilities, and earned a leadership certificate and 10 hours of academic credit through The Ohio State University John Glenn College of Public Affairs.
Participating officers completed 274 hours of instruction on leadership, community engagement, public administration, and contemporary issues in policing.
Graduates also attended classes on dealing with future challenges in the field, overcoming unique mental stressors of possible violence on the job, and ensuring best practices for law enforcement managers to recruit and retain the next generation of law enforcement professionals.
During National Police Week, graduates traveled to Washington, D.C., and the Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland, where they toured sites that shaped the nation’s leaders and also attended specialized training for peace officers at the National Holocaust Museum.
As part of a community outreach effort, graduates partnered with the Columbus-based nonprofit Local Matters to help restore and repair community garden sites in central Ohio.
“Enhancing and developing leadership skills is key to a successful organization, and we are proud of Lt. Lightfoot’s investment in professional development,” said Chief of Police Michael Woods “Education is a never-ending process.”
