School of Staff and Command

January 1 – June 12, 2020

Registration is now CLOSED

Michigan State University School of Staff and Command is a 400-hour problem-based course that utilizes a blend of classroom facilitated learning and cutting edge distance learning technologies.

Problem-based learning (PBL) represents the next generation in law enforcement training by fostering critical thinking, and employing learning philosophies appropriate in today’s law enforcement world.

In addition to an outstanding cadre of experts in the field, faculty includes a 1:6 facilitator to learner ratio.

For a flyer click HERE.

2020 Course Syllabus available HERE as pdf.

This course is MCOLES approved for 302 funds and the MMRMA grant.  MCOLES certification is available to Michigan residents. Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits are available upon successful completion of the 400-hour course.

Non-Michigan police agencies wishing information on bringing the School to your state or agency, should contact traincj@msu.edu (please expect a response to email inquiries within 48hrs) at 517-355-2197.

  • Apply

    Application Information

    Thank you for your interest in applying to the Michigan State University School of Staff and Command.

    Please click the link below to begin your application process:

    Registration is now CLOSED

    Important Application Info

    • Application Deadline: November 08, 2019
    • Applicant Oral Board Interview Dates: December 02-06, 2019
    • Successful Applicants Notified No Later Than: December 20, 2019

    For more information please contact: traincj@msu.edu.

  • Advisory Board
    Name Agency
    Sheriff Tim Donnellon St. Clair County Sheriff's Office
    Chief Ken Plaga Meridian Township Police Department
    Dr. Mary Finn Michigan State Universy, School of Criminal Justice
    Chief Matt Harshberger Pittsfield Township Police Department
    Deputy Director Elmer Hitt Jackson Police Department
    Cindy Herfert Michigan State University, School of Criminal Justice
    Chief Brian Hill Gerrish Township Police Department
    Director Blaine Koops Michigan Sheriff's Association
    Colonel Joseph Gasper Michigan State Police
    Dr. Juli Liebler Michigan State University, School of Criminal Justice
    Chief Brian Lipe Grand Blanc Police Department
    Chief David Molloy Novi Police Department
    Chief Lawrence Sparkes East Lansing Police Department
    Chief Jeff Baker Auburn Hills Police Department
    Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young Kent County Sheriff's Department
    Chief Theresa Stephens-Lock Mott Community College Department of Public Safety
    Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth Ingham County Sheriff's Office
    Chief Michael Yankowski Lanisng Police Department
  • Facilitators

    Captain Chad Connelly

    Captain Chad Connelly has served with the East Lansing Police department since 1998. He graduated from Lake Superior State University in 1997 with Bachelors Degree in Science and from Central Michigan University with a Masters in Administration in 2007, and currently is pursuing a second graduate degree. Chad is a graduate of the 10th Class of Staff and Command at Michigan State University where he served as Class President.

    Capt. Connelly currently serves as the K-9 Unit Supervisor and Team Leader for the Ingham Regional Special Response Team. He has served as a Patrol Sergeant and Detective Sergeant, along with various other roles for the East Lansing Police Department.

    Contact Info: Not Yet Provided

     

    Lieutenant (retired) Cindy Herfert

    Cindy Herfert serves as an Outreach Academic Specialist for the Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice, providing in-service trainings to police officers and military personnel from across the United States. Cindy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from MSU. Cindy is a graduate of the 10th MSU School of Staff and Command class. Cindy joined the Flint Police Department in 1994 and was promoted to Sergeant in 1998. In 2014 Cindy was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant for the Patrol Division and the Traffic Division. Cindy retired from the Flint Police Department in 2015. Cindy held a variety of positions during her career, including; uniform patrol, undercover narcotics, gang investigation, homicide investigation, planning and budgeting, and community policing.

    Contact Info: herfertc@msu.edu

     

    First Lieutenant Chris Luty

    F/Lt. Chris Luty is the post commander for the Michigan State Police post in West Branch. The West Branch Post employs 40 enlisted and civilian personnel, and encompasses Arenac, Iosco, Gladwin, and Ogemaw counties.

    Chris has been with the Michigan State Police since 1990, and has previously held the ranks of Lieutenant, D/Sergeant, Sergeant, D/ Trooper, and Trooper. He’s been assigned to the Tri-City, Mount Pleasant, and Bridgeport posts, in addition to MSP’s Training Academy and Thumb Narcotics Unit.

    Chris also represented troopers and sergeants as president or vice-president of the Michigan State Police Trooper’s Association from 2006 to 2014. During that time, he served as a commissioner on the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, the State 911 Committee, and the State Drug Treatment Court Advisory Committee. Chris is a graduate of the 11th MSU School of Staff in Command in 2016.

    Contact Info: Not Yet Provided

     

    Captain Jim Craig

    Captain Jim Craig has been with the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office since 1990 and is the Jail Commander at the Lenawee County Jail. Captain Craig oversees the entire operations of Lenawee County's 287 bed facility. Additionally, Captain Craig is responsible for the security of the Lenawee County Judicial Building and supervises bailiffs, transport officers and court secuirty deputies.

    Captain Craig is a 1998 graduate of Siena Heights University and a graduate of the 11th Class of Staff and Command at Michigan State University where he served as Class President. Captain Craig is an American Jail Association certified Jail Manager and certified Hostage Negotiator. Captain Craig is a member of Michigan Sheriffs' Association MISSION Team and is a background investigator for the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office. Captain Craig has received training in courthouse security through the National Sheriff's Association, the U.S. Marshals Service and ATF.

    Contact Info: Not Yet Provided

     

    Lieutenant Matthew Berchert

    Matthew Berchert earned his Bachelors Degree in History from Gettysburg College in 1990 and his Masters Degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University in 1997. He is also a graduate of the 13th MSU School of Staff and Command, Central Michigan University's Law Enforcement Executive Leadership Institute, and the FBI Michigan Police Executive Development Seminar. He began his law enforcement career with Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office in 1991 before moving to the Midland Police Department in 2000.

    Lieutenant Berchert currently serves as the Administrative Lieutenant in charge of the Community Relations Unit, School Resource Officers, K-9 Unit, Traffic Services Unit, and is the Team Leader for the Midland Police Department Honor Guard. In his time with Midland, Lt. Berchert has served as a DARE Instructor, Community Relations Officer, School Resource Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Community Relations Sergeant as well as other various instructor positions.

    Contact Info: Not Yet Provided

  • Mission and Goals

    MISSION:

    • The Michigan State University School of Staff and Command is committed to building capacity of Michigan law enforcement organizations through the development of staff and command personnel within those organizations.

    GOALS:

    • Utilize teaching methods that allow students to self-discover the knowledge and skills they require in a way that builds on gifts the students already posses in a context that is relevant to them.
    • Create a challenging learning environment that positively impacts what the student learns and what will be transferred to other circumstances.
    • Facilitate students’ learning how to work safely, think critically, adopt problem-solving as a daily part of their job, and partner more readily with residents to tackle crime.

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

    • Develop personal and professional goals, collect baseline data relative to those goals, identify gaps between where the individual is and where he/she wants to be, evaluate progress toward those goals, and continuously monitor evaluate, and revise those goals. Reflective learning journals, one-on-one evaluation meetings with a facilitator, and evaluation rubrics will be used to demonstrate achievement.
    • Evaluate new and evolving technology and its applicability to current and emerging challenges to public safety.
    • Create and function effectively within a team that demonstrates an understanding of the interdependencies between people and how to act as a teammate with others regardless of whether there is a formal or informal structure and/or whether working with internal or external organizational partners.
    • Research information, analyze and evaluate the data, and recognize trends and gaps that have the potential of impacting how a police organization conducts business in a community.
    • Construct recommendations for proposed plans of action that are developed using a problem solving process that includes an understanding of the identified problem and an evaluation/ assessment as to the effectiveness of the response. Recommendations presented will include background information, an assessment/conclusion, and the recommendation(s).
    • Produce and practice oral presentations that incorporate multiple styles of learning, demonstrate an understanding of public speaking skills, effective use of audio-visual aids, and a variety of types of oral presentations (facilitation, poster session, classroom instruction, conduct meetings, power point presentations, oral reports, etc.).
    • Assemble various types of written communication documents that are grammatically correct, with no spelling errors, properly formatted, and clearly and concisely written.
    • Write a grant that includes project goals and objectives, statement of the problem, project design and implementation, capabilities/competencies, budget, outcomes, and performance measures.
    • Produce a written comprehensive gap analysis report and make an oral presentation on the findings of that report as the final course problem. The report and presentation will include recommendations on what the learner’s agency needs to be doing now to meet what data and trend analysis are projecting for the next 5-10 years for his/her agency.
  • Tech Requirements

    MINIMUM TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

    Participants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to bring a laptop computer/iPad/tablet/etc. for ease in accessing the many resources that will be available online. Participants will also need a microphone and webcam. Recommended browsers and computers supported by MSU's on-line learning management software Desire 2 Learn (D2L) include the following:

    Note the following:

    • Ensure that your browser has JavaScript and Cookies enabled.
    • For desktop systems, you must have Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or greater.

    Desktop Support

    Browser Supported Browser Version(s)
    Internet Explorer 10, 11
    Firefox Latest
    Chrome Latest
    Safari 5.1, 6.0

    Tablet and Mobile Support

    Device Operating System Browser Supported Browser Version(s)
    Android Android 4 Android Latest
    Apple iOS 6, 7, 8 Safari Latest
    Microsoft Surface Windows 8 Internet Explorer 11
    Blackberry (mobile only) Blackberry 7, 10 Blackberry Latest

    Office Suite:
    Microsoft Office (recommended)
    Sun OpenOffice

    Adobe Acrobat:
    Adobe Acrobat Reader

Community Engagement