Leadership Fellow Program

The ILETSB Executive Institute Leadership Fellow program creates a collaborative working relationship among the Fellow, the Executive Institute, the home agency, and other criminal justice professionals throughout the state of Illinois. The Fellow will gain a broader understanding and knowledge of training and standards at the state level while gaining valuable leadership tools and guidance to take back to his or her home agency.
The duration of the fellowship is approximately three to six months depending on the goals of the Fellow and the projects determined within the fellowship plan. The time frame will be agreed upon by the Executive Institute and the home agency and may be flexible based on the magnitude of projects and potential goals.
Fellows will generally work at the Executive Institute main office on the campus of Western Illinois University in Macomb; however, there may be opportunities for a Fellow to work offsite based on the plan and goals developed for the specific individual’s fellowship. This would be determined through the fellowship plan and an agreement between the Executive Institute and the home agency. The Executive Institute will work with the home agency to determine eligibility for no-cost housing for the Fellow while he or she is working in Macomb.

Fellows will have a broader understanding of training and standards at the state level, including expanded knowledge, skills, and attitudes’ based on the inner workings of the Executive Institute and the Board.
Fellows will have the use of Executive Institute resources, staff engagement, and continued access to resources after completion of their fellowships. Participation in projects will lead to publication in the Law Enforcement Executive Forum, a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal published quarterly by the Executive Institute.
Fellows will be engaged in proposing new ideas and projects for the Executive Institute and their home agency based on their experiences. The Executive Institute also benefits from the Fellows’ practical experiences and knowledge of current practices in the field that may be shared with other criminal justice practitioners through the projects developed during their fellowships.

Visiting Fellows will have several areas in which they may engage while at the ILETSBEI including, but not limited to, the following:

• Accreditation
• Curriculum and Training Development
• Engagement with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board and other local, state, and federal organizations
• Engagement with the WIU School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration
• Grant Writing
• Homeland Security
• Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response
• Leadership and Organizational Development
• Legislative Research
• Part-Time Basic Law Enforcement Academy Review
• Policy Development
• School and Campus Safety

Accepted Fellows will work with Executive Institute staff members to create a plan to prioritize two to three areas for the duration of their fellowships. Specific projects and activities will be included in the plan to identify areas of interest and areas of need benefiting both the Fellow and the Executive Institute, Fellow’s home agency, and/or the criminal justice community as a whole.

The Executive Institute Leadership Fellow must be an individual with a desire to seek advancement in formal and informal leadership opportunities with a commitment to the mission of the Executive Institute and our Cornerstones of Exemplary Leadership. The individual must be seeking a broad picture of the state of policing and the criminal justice system in Illinois and in the United States, with an emphasis on the pillars of 21^st Century Policing and their application to the criminal justice system as a whole.

Fellows may come from local, state, county, municipal, federal, or tribal law enforcement or corrections agencies. A Fellow may also work within the court system. Fellows will generally be individuals at the mid-rank to executive level but may include individuals from lower ranks who have demonstrated leadership abilities and a desire for continued growth in their knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Prospective candidates should submit a detailed cover letter and résumé to the Executive Institute with documented approval from their agency chief executive officer (i.e., Chief, Sheriff, Superintendent, Jail Administrator, etc.). The letter should include the following information:

• Reason for application
• Commitment to the project
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities applicant brings to the Fellow’s role
• Desired outcomes from the fellowship
• Availability
• Contact information, including email and telephone, for applicant and supervisor

The Executive Institute program staff and review panel, including the Director, Deputy Director, and Program Managers, will consider the application and make a decision about acceptance into the program. If the candidate is approved, the Executive Institute will work with the Fellow and his or her home agency to determine a start and end date. A visit will also be scheduled at the Executive Institute for the Fellow and home agency leadership to discuss and review the plan prior to final decisions being made. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be developed and signed by both the Executive Institute and the home agency. Approvals for fellowships will be made based on availability.

Application for the fellowship is a competitive process. The Executive Institute seeks motivated criminal justice professionals who want to develop their knowledge and insights into research, training, technical assistance, and leadership skills. The Fellows should enter the fellowship with an open mind and attitude about what they will achieve and end the fellowship with additional knowledge, skills, and abilities to return to their home agency with new ideas and best practices. The Executive Institute is dedicated to promoting professionalism in policing, developing leaders, and enhancing leadership abilities. Upon return to their home agency, Fellows will have a greater understanding of the broad picture of law enforcement and criminal justice practices.

Fellows are supervised by the Manager of Research and Development throughout the term of the fellowship. He or she will work closely with the program managers in each of the prioritized areas, but the continuous interaction and decision making will be the responsibility of the Manager of Research and Development position. The Fellow will work closely with the Manager on his or her project plan and the tasks agreed upon during the application process.

The Executive Institute will provide appropriate office space for the Fellow, including a computer and other equipment for daily tasks. If residency is involved at the Executive Institute, details will be worked out during the approval and MOU process. The Fellow will meet with Western Illinois University and Executive Institute staff to complete appropriate paperwork, orientation, and to ensure appropriate parking and building access. He or she will meet with administrative staff and program managers during the first week of the fellowship to get acquainted with staff and each program area.

The Executive Institute Leadership Fellowship is a temporary duty assignment. Fellows are subject to the protocols, policies, and procedures of their home agency while participating in the fellowship at the Executive Institute. The fellowship allows participants to work with and be responsible for their work products, due dates, and other responsibilities at the Executive Institute as assigned and agreed upon through the MOU. The Manager of Research and Development will work with each program manager to determine the progress and performance of the Fellow through the assigned priority areas. Information related to work progress, satisfaction with assignments, and other fellowship plan items will be discussed on a regular basis and reported to the Executive Institute Director and the home agency supervisor.

Evaluations will be conducted every 30 days to monitor the learning progress and achievements of the Fellow and their contribution to the work at the Executive Institute. At the end of the fellowship, Executive Institute staff will provide feedback to the Fellow and the home agency, and the Fellow and home agency staff will be allowed to provide feedback to the Executive Institute. This exchange of information will help support future fellowships and the relationship between the Fellow and the Executive Institute for future activities.