Indiana Sheriffs’ Association

Launches Your Community

Institute for Credible Leadership Development

The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association (ISA) is sincerely proud to announce our partnership with the policing National Command and Staff College of the International Academy of Public Safety. The purpose of this public-private collaboration is to launch the ISA state-wide on-line Institute for Credible Leadership Development (ICLD) to all Sheriffs’ personnel.

The ISA represents all Indiana sheriffs and their personnel. Thus, a primary focus is to develop and implement programs to assist deputies, officers and staff to continuously enhance their professional growth and practical leadership skills to improve themselves and their agencies while having a meaningful, positive impact on those they serve.

We are in the next era of policing-community evolution where law enforcement professionals must partner with the community to help improve wellbeing. Police-community collaboration must be based on coactive-mutual trust and respect while maintaining safety and security.

This is the new era of law enforcement evolution where police professionals must lead with head and heart - with intellect and compassion.

Whether an officer has just graduated from the basic academy or they are in a senior position, how well they do their job, the positive influence they have on fellow officers and on the beat, and the legacy they leave will help shape how our law enforcement services are delivered long into the future. The whole of police, agency and community working together is greater than the sum of the parts.

Our ISA ICLD education and development will teach the process of pursuing a noble profession and a virtuous life, which is principally knowing right from wrong and acting accordingly. The result is that neighborhoods grow stronger where families are safe, stable, productive and can be happy.

The ISA’s ICLD provides a comprehensive character based personal and professional development curriculum with over 180 hours of on-line education that is proven, accessible, continuous, affordable, sustainable, effective and compatible with current training. The Institute offers progressive, reality-based courses on the latest education and leadership ideas, knowledge and techniques at a fraction of the cost of traditional training and it will be available to all staff and citizens. It develops our officers and staff for today and especially the new realities of tomorrow. The curriculum is based on developing the MAGNUS officer.

Aristotle defined the Magnanimous Man as the Virtuous Man. Thus, we derive the MAGNUS officer or person from MAGNanimoUS. Ultimately, ICLD Command and Staff College students are taught to become MAGNUS officers which education and development is rooted in ancient philosophy with modern teaching techniques, topics and curriculum.

Noah Webster in his famous dictionary, defines magnanimity as:

Greatness of mind; that elevation or dignity of soul, which encounters danger and trouble with tranquility and firmness, which raises the possessor above revenge, and makes him delight in acts of benevolence, which makes him disdain injustice and meanness, and prompts him to sacrifice personal ease, interest and safety for the accomplishment of useful and noble objects.

We take wisdom and lessons from ancient and modern leaders who practiced what they preached about living virtuously. Benjamin Franklin became one of our most historically significant, accomplished Americans and revered Founding Father by acting on his 13 virtues as a young man and to his dying day. Significant leaders all had the pursuit of virtue in common – they made the world a much better place. Each of us has it in us to make our worlds better – much better.

MAGNUS Officers exemplify the best of the policing profession. They are mentors. They recognize and embrace their role as leaders and role- models while promoting magnanimity within their organizations and among the citizens they serve. They believe that conducting themselves virtuously and serving as MAGNUS officers are both duty and an honor.

MAGNUS officers are action oriented, fair, and professional in every way. They develop the habit of making deliberate choices guided by sound reason, professional ethics, and exemplary personal character. These actions are not convenient, isolated behaviors; MAGNUS officers embody true professionalism guided by the continuous professional study and practice of virtuous, character-based living. They do magnanimous deeds by acting deliberately with compassion. MAGNUS officers conduct themselves with prudence and self-control.

MAGNUS officers are credible because they embody the noble cause of serving justice and being just built on the philosophy and character of the 21st century servant– guardian.

MAGNUS officers are accountable and take full responsibility for their actions even though a course of action may be risky - but the right thing to do. In other words, they conduct themselves on and off the job with a moral compass and moral courage while paying forward the rewards of life and especially by building the credibility of the policing profession.

Our ICLD will launch in July 2017. We believe this is one of our most important initiatives as it builds the permanent capacity for officer education and development and neighborhood wellbeing advancement. It will continuously improve our officers, our sheriff’s offices and especially our communities. This is a vital long-term initiative which will have a significant long-term impact.

The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association with full support from all county Sheriffs and your help will work to graduate all Sheriffs’ personnel from our Institute for Credible Leadership Development in the next 2-3 years.

Our own Sheriff Brett Clark, Hendricks County, says it best:

We don’t treat people like ladies and gentlemen because they are;

we do it because WE ARE.