From The Tribune staff reports
SPRINGVILLE — Springville Police Chief Wayne Walton received certification and recognition on August 4, 2022, at the annual Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in Orange Beach, Alabama.
“On behalf of the University Partnership for Alabama Continuing Education and the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP), I take great pleasure in announcing that Chief Wayne Walton of the Springville Police Department has completed 160 hours of training in the Certified Law Enforcement Executive Program (CLEEP),” said Kaleb Littlejohn, Director of the Center for Best Practices in Law Enforcement at Jacksonville State University and UPACE Partner.
CLEEP consists of four levels of achievement. Certificates and pins are awarded as each level is achieved; level one is 40 hours of credit, level two is 80 hours, level three is 160 hours, and the final level is 240 hours.
Walton said that he will complete his final level of 240 by January and will receive his certificates and pins during the AACOP Winter Conference. He will be one of seven police chiefs in St. Clair County to complete all 240 hours and one of three Springville chiefs.
“I’ve been in law enforcement for 23 years, and I have had a lot of people influence me for the better,” Walton said. “They have helped me handle various problems, and it’s educated me unbelievably. Of course, nothing would be possible without the support of the city, council, and mayor.”
Springville Police Department continues to grow, and Walton said the courses he has taken have significantly impacted the morale of the department for the better.
Examples of courses included in the program are:
- Update on Harassment, Discrimination, and Disability Issues;
- Leadership: An Identification and Understanding;
- Interpersonal Communication: Organizational Behavior;
- Police Leadership: Managing the Future;
- Organizational Effectiveness; Understanding Diversity;
- Selection, Recruitment, and Retention;
- Performance Appraisal;
- Ethics and the Police Executive; and
- Applied Problem Solving and Decision Making.
The UPACE Partnership is made up of Jacksonville State University, The University of North Alabama, and Troy University Dothan. Its purpose is to make continuing education programs available for agencies and associations across the state.