The Sergeant’s Crucible
Enter as a cop. Leave as a leader. The transition from peer to leader is the hardest one in law enforcement, and almost nobody is trained for it before it happens. This course is that training: how to take command of a squad that used to be your peers, hold a standard without losing your people, and make the calls that define a reputation, before the mistakes do it for you.
Training credit in other states is handled case by case with your training coordinator; we supply the course outline, contact hours, and instructor credentials your POST board needs.
- Officers on the promotion list, or thinking about it
- Sergeants in their first three years
- Corporals, detectives, and FTOs who lead without the rank
- Corrections supervisors making the same transition
- Training coordinators who need a repeatable program for every new sergeant
- Lieutenants and above who already command a shift or a division
- Anyone looking for a promotional-exam prep course
- Agencies that want a one-hour webinar; this is a working course
Already a lieutenant or commander? The Commander’s Crucible is the same eleven flaws at the level where they cost an agency.
Seventeen modules. Enter as a cop. Leave as a leader.
Built on the A.I.O. arc: Adapt through Awareness, Improvise through Interaction, Overcome through Objectivity, then Transformation. Every module opens and closes with the behavior you walked in with and the one you leave with, and every Fatal Flaw gets a real case, a tool, and a Choose Your Own Leadership Adventure decision.
Taught by people who held the rank
Rose from patrol to Lieutenant and Commanding Officer, commanded the 2014 Ringling Bros. mass-casualty incident, and has taught police and corrections supervisors nationwide for more than twenty years. IADLEST National Certified Instructor, Police1 columnist, adjunct professor at Roger Williams University.
Even with my own 30 plus years in law enforcement, Sean's training significantly rewired my approach, enabling me to better lead the new generation of officers. His A.I.O. Leadership principles have not only transformed my professional life but have also become a guiding force in my daily life.
Sgt. Miguel RiccioMassillon (OH) Police DepartmentHis magnetism in the classroom immediately drew the entire class in. After his class, I changed some of how I approached things with the officers I supervised, with great results. It was obvious that he cared deeply about leadership training and impacting people's lives in a positive way.
Sgt. Daniel HarpCooke County (TX) Sheriff's OfficeGraduates of his training leave not only with greater confidence to tackle challenges within their agencies, but also with the tools to lead effectively in their personal lives. Perhaps most importantly, you leave with a lifelong ally, a mentor committed to helping you face challenges head-on.
Chief Randal Moody (Ret.)Harrisonville (MO) Police DepartmentRegistration in four steps
Open-enrollment in-person dates are announced here as they are scheduled. The online course is available any time.
Bring it to your agency
Most agencies host the course in their own training room and fill the seats from their own ranks. You can keep it private or open seats to neighboring departments. Hosting agencies receive complimentary seats depending on class size.
What you provide- A training room with a screen or projector
- The participants (we size the cohort with you)
- A point of contact for logistics
- Instruction, all course materials, and participant workbooks
- Certificates with documented contact hours
- A pre-course call with your command staff to align on outcomes
Sean travels to your agency anywhere in the United States. Travel is built into the quote, so there are no surprises on the invoice.