Jacksonville State University has opened the Southeastern Leadership Command College, aimed at preparing law enforcement officers for senior leadership roles.
“For more than 50 years, Jacksonville State has been the torchbearer for police education and training in Northeast Alabama,” said Don Killingsworth Jr., president of JSU. “Over the past decade, the university has widened its reach, offering comprehensive training and resources to support officers at every stage of their careers throughout the state of Alabama.”
The university is home to the Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy, which has trained 15,000 law enforcement officers since its establishment in 1972. In addition, JSU’s Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation offers degree programs for students to pursue careers in law enforcement, including the state’s only bachelor of science in forensic investigation.
JSU also has developed the Center for Applied Forensics, the Center for Best Practices in Law Enforcement, the Alabama Investigator Academy and now the new command college.
“When you look at the value of what JSU has done, it is not just the investment in law enforcement — it is the fact that you have told a mother whose child is a victim of a violent crime that we are going to support you in finding the person who committed that offense and find justice,” said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall during the ribbon cutting. “While you have a broad impact on people who have come through these doors, it’s the communities in which they came from where you will make the most impact.”
The command college, which is housed at the university’s facility at the former Fort McClellan, will build on the existing programs. It is now enrolling its first cohort, set to begin in March.
