Law Enforcement Executive Certification Program
VACP CERTIFIED LE EXECUTIVES
List of VACP Certified Law Enforcement Chief & Command ExecutivesCERTIFICATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Purpose
- Program Structure
- Certification Requirements
- Application and Fees
- Supporting Documentation
- LEECP Committee
- Appendices
I. PURPOSE
The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police is an organization that strives to promote the professional development and highest standards of executive and management level personnel of law enforcement agencies throughout Virginia.
The Law Enforcement Executive Certification Program (LEECP) encourages police executives to attain and maintain established benchmarks of accomplishment to achieve a recommended standard for police leadership within the state of Virginia.
II. PROGRAM STRUCTURE
There are two levels of law enforcement certification available for Virginia public safety leaders:
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Chief Executive Officer - the chief or commanding officer of a law enforcement agency.
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Command Executive Officer - a law enforcement command officer who serves in an executive or upper management position at the rank of lieutenant or above (or the equivalent rank for law enforcement agencies with 35 or less sworn force, as provided on an organizational chart depicting the levels within the agency).
III. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must meet ALL eligibility requirements in the program for both initial certification and recertification. Applicants must meet mandatory eligibility, tenure, and educational requirements for initial certification. Certification is for 3 years, and participants must recertify every 3 years to remain active in the program. The application process will allow participants to certify these requirements for initial participation or meet the requirements for recertification.
It is the member’s responsibility to submit a separate application for recertification, demonstrating a commitment to continued professional development through training, conference attendance, and meeting the program’s certification requirements.
You must be a VACP or VACLEA member (Active or Associate level) to participate in the certification program. Current members must be up-to-date on their dues to be approved for certification (login to your account and check for any unpaid invoices). Non-members can apply for membership in order to qualify for certification.
IV. APPLICATION AND FEES
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Initial Certification
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Applicants seeking LEECP certification must complete an online LEECP application and submit it electronically.
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A preliminary review of the application will be conducted by VACP staff and then sent to the LEECP committee for final review and approval. Additional documents may be needed to verify the applicant’s training, education, and experience. It will be the responsibility of the applicant to provide these verification documents to the committee in a timely manner.
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The initial certification fee for the LEECP is $225.
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Payment must be received by the VACP before certification is awarded.
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If you are certified by the VACP as a Command Executive Officer and achieve the rank of chief law enforcement officer, you may reapply for the Chief Executive Officer, if qualified, without paying the initial application fee a second time. You must file for initial certification of Chief Executive Officer before any recertification becomes due.
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Recertification
Members must recertify every 3 years to remain active in the program. It is the member’s responsibility to submit a separate application for recertification, demonstrating a commitment to continued professional development through training, conference attendance, and meeting the program’s certification requirements.-
Members seeking LEECP recertification for the Law Enforcement Chief Executive Officer must complete the LEECP recertification application and submit it electronically.
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Applications for recertification must be submitted no more than 60 days before the date of certification or last recertification.
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If certification has lapsed, applicants must meet all requirements for initial certification to become recertified. Certifications will not be considered lapsed if an application has been filed on time and is awaiting approval by the committee.
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A preliminary review of the application will be conducted by the VACP staff and then sent to the LEECP committee for final review and approval. Additional documents may be needed to verify the member’s training, education, and experience. It will be the responsibility of the member to provide these verification documents to the committee in a timely manner.
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The recertification fee for the LEECP is $75.
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Payment must be received by the VACP before certification or recertification is awarded.
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V. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
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Applicants must attach a current resume with the completed application.
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Documentation is required to verify that education and professional development requirements have been met. Documentation may be required to verify other categories if needed.
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Applicants should only submit copies of all required documentation, as these documents will not be returned.
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Acceptable forms of documentation include but are not limited to, copies of diplomas/degrees; copies of training certificates; copies of DCJS, agency, or academy training records; DCJS PIC forms; copies of course attendance or instructor records.
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All courses submitted for credit must be approved before certification is awarded. If a course or program is not listed in the appendix, applicants must attach a summary and/or description of the course, a link to the course website, or outline of the training.
VI. LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM (LEECP) COMMITTEE
The LEECP committee will oversee the administration of the certification program and its membership requirements.
- The LEECP committee will consist of at least one VACP Board member and four VACP active member chief executive officers selected by the VACP Board. A VACP Board member shall serve as the committee chair.
- Committee members will serve a two-year term.
- The committee will meet in person or virtually as needed to conduct the following business:
- Review and approve or reject applications.
- Review and approve or reject specific write-in requirements on the application (training courses, memberships, etc.) submitted by applicants for certification.
- Maintain a database of approved training courses to assist with reviewing future applications.
- Conduct an annual review of the requirements for initial certification and subsequent recertification and provide the VACP Executive Board with suggested program updates.
- Appeals of any LEECP Committee decisions will be heard by the VACP Executive Board.
VII. APPENDICES
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APPENDIX A – TIER I COURSES
This tier includes leadership/public safety-related executive-, command-, or supervisory-level development schools, training seminars, and course work lasting 3 weeks or longer. (Other courses may apply, but will be subject to review and approval.)- FBI National Academy
- FEMA Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP) Courses (separate credit for each):
- Law Enforcement Foundation (Ohio) Police Executive Leadership College (PELC)
- National Command and Staff College – Command and Staff Leadership (ACE 1) (320 hr hybrid course)
- National Command and Staff College – Emerging Leadership Certificate (ACE 2) (187 hr online course)
- NCSU Administrative Officers Management Program (AOMP)
- Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command (SPSC)
- VACP Professional Executive Leadership School (PELS)
- PERF Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP)
- Southern Police Institute Administrative Officers Course (AOC)
- UVA National Criminal Justice Command College (NCJCC)
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APPENDIX B – TIER II COURSES
This tier includes leadership/public safety-related executive-, command-, or supervisory-level development schools, training seminars, and course work lasting 2 weeks or longer. (Other courses may apply, but will be subject to review and approval.)- FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS)
- VACP Institute for Leadership in Changing Times (ILCT)
- IACP Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO)
- Naval Postgraduate School Executive Leaders Program (ELP)
- Police Executive Development (POLEX) from Penn State
- Police Executive Development – Advanced (Advanced POLEX) from Penn State
- Senior Executive Institute – Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service (UVA)
- Authentic & Deliberate Leadership: The West Point Way (VACP/National Command & Staff College)
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APPENDIX C – TIER III COURSES
This tier includes leadership/public safety-related executive-, command-, or supervisory-level development schools and course work lasting less than 2 weeks. (Other courses may apply, but will be subject to review and approval.)- Accreditation Assessor Training
- FBI National Command College
- FBI LEEDA Supervisor Leadership Institute
- FBI LEEDA Command Leadership Institute
- FBI LEEDA Executive Leadership Institute
- FBI LEEDA Professional Standards and Ethics
- FBI LEEDA First Amendment Issues for Supervisors
- FBI LEEDA Internal Affairs
- FBI LEEDA Leadership Integrity
- FBI LEEDA Media and Public Relations
- FBI LEEDA Master PIO
- FBI LEEDA Reflective Leadership
- FBI LEEDA Basic Supervisor Liability
- FBI LEEDA Advanced Supervisor Liability
- National Domestic Terrorism and Preparedness Consortium Courses
- FEMA Incident Command/Emergency Management Courses
- VACP First Line Supervisors School
- VACP New Chiefs/Deputy Chiefs School
- VACP ICLD Credible Leadership Program – Foundations and Principles
- VACP ICLD Credible Leadership Program – Theories and Practices
- VACP ICLD Credible Leadership Program – Application and Advancement
- VACP ICLD Credible Leadership Program – Competency and Mastery
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APPENDIX D – MEMBERSHIPS
- American Society Industrial Security (ASIS)
- FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA)
- FBI LEEDA Association (FBI-LEEDA)
- International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA)
- International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
- International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST)
- International City and County Management Association (ICMA)
- Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
- Major City Chiefs (MCC)
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Women in Law Enforcement (MAAWLE)
- National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
- National Association of Chiefs of Police (NACP)
- National Internal Affairs Investigators Association (NIAIA)
- National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE)
- National Information Officers Association (NIOA)
- National Sheriff’s Association (NSA)
- Virginia Sheriff’s Association (VSA)
- Other (Subject to Committee approval.)
VACP Law Enforcement Executive Certification Program Documents
PROGRAM OVERVIEW (PDF)
CHIEF EXECUTIVE INITIAL CERTIFICATION APPLICATION (FILLABLE PDF)
COMMAND EXECUTIVE INITIAL CERTIFICATION APPLICATION (FILLABLE PDF)
SUBMIT APPLICATION
Submit by March 19, 2023 for April 2023 certifications.
TENTATIVE FUTURE DEADLINES:
- May 21, 2023 for June/July 2023 Certifications;
- August 13, 2023 for September 2023 Certifications (2023 Annual Conference);
- October 22, 2023 for November 2023 Certifications; and,
- January 7, 2024 for February 2024 Certifications (2024 Winter Conference).