Command Staff Leadership Series (CSLS)

The Command Staff Leadership Series (CSLS) is designed to develop leadership skills and to build effective programs, policies and initiatives in law enforcement agencies. Patterned after the Texas Police Chief Leadership Series, this program offers the same professional development opportunities provided to Texas Police Chiefs and allows for the continuity of operations among leaders of individual departments. The program focuses on critical and common issues facing law enforcement.

Attending the CSLS provides command staff officers the opportunity to fulfill their continuing education requirements through TCOLE as set forth in The Education Code, Section 96.641. Officers who attend the CSLS are exempt from other continuing education requirements under Section 1701.351, Occupations Code, Subsection (d).

Topics Covered / Course Objectives

  • Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training
  • Strategic Performance Management and Planning in the 21st Century
  • TCOLE Update
  • Walking a Tightrope
  • Thinking Strategic about Communications for Law Enforcement Executives ‐News Media, Branding, Storytelling, Social Media, and Critical Incidents.
  • Legal Update
  • Building Job Resilience: Avoiding Landmines While Effectively Leading Your Department
  • “Digging in the Right Place”: Elevating Your Community Engagement Begins with Your Employee Engagement.

Who Should Attend / Admission Requirements

  • Assistant Chiefs
  • Those who serve as second in command for a department or agency
  • Law enforcement personnel in a supervisory role

Course Length

Command Staff Leadership Series (CSLS) is a five-day course.

Course Hours

Participants receive 40 hours of TCOLE (3709) credit.

Course Cost / Fee Policy

Command Staff Leadership Series (CSLS) is $295 per person for Texas Law Enforcement Officers.

Registration Process

Registration is 100% online. Please visit the Register Online link located on the Upcoming Events table below or the LEMIT Calendar page to register. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address indicated on the form within two weeks of registration.

Cancellation / No-Show Policy

If the participant has already paid, he/she will be refunded half the cost of the registration fee if written notice of cancellation is received by the Program Coordinator no later than seven (7) business days prior to the program. No refunds are available after this date, but substitutions of attendees are permitted.

If no written cancellation is received and the participant does not attend the program, the participant or their agency will be required to pay 100% of the registration fee if the registration fee was not previously paid.

Course Contact

TBD , Coordinator - CSLS, FEMT, LEMIT Online
Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas
George J. Beto Criminal Justice Building
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX 77341-2417
Phone:
lemitcsls@shsu.edu
femt@shsu.edu
lemitonline@shsu.edu

Upcoming Events

* Additional fees may apply

StatusDateTitleLocationRegistrationFee
FULLFeb 10 - 14, 2025Command Staff Leadership Series (CSLS) Huntsville, TXCLOSED$295.00
OPENJun 16 - 20, 2025Command Staff Leadership Series (CSLS) Tyler, TX Register Online $295.00
OPENJul 28 - Aug 01, 2025Command Staff Leadership Series (CSLS) Huntsville, TX Register Online $295.00

* Additional fees may apply

Additional Information

Hotel, Travel, and Meals:
The participant or their agency is responsible for expenses incurred for travel to and from the training, hotel cost, and meals excluding lunch on Monday through Thursday. Hotel information will be included in the confirmation email. Choosing a hotel and making a reservation is the responsibility of each participant.

Schedule for the Week:
Class begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday; Friday class begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at noon. The program involves working lunches (lunch is provided).

Dress for the Week:
Business casual is the dress for the week. Clothing should be professional, and no caps/hats or shorts are permitted. It is always recommended to bring a light jacket in case the training room is cold.

Firearms:
If you choose to wear your duty weapon you may do so in full uniform or in plain clothes with your badge fully displayed. Individuals who are 21 years of age and who currently possess a handgun license from the State of Texas or an approved reciprocating state may legally carry a concealed handgun on or about their person. Handguns may be carried on campus, except at collegiate and UIL athletic events, health and counseling centers, and other specified locations on campus. Signs will clearly identify prohibited sites around campus.

Tobacco Products:
In order to promote a healthy, safe, and aesthetically pleasing work and educational environment, Sam Houston State University endorses a smoke free and tobacco free environment. Tobacco use (including smokeless tobacco) is not permitted on campus grounds. Electronic cigarettes/vaping products are also prohibited.

LEMIT Building and Parking:

The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas is located at 1600 Bobby K. Marks Dr., Huntsville, Texas, at the corner of Bobby K. Marks and Bearkat Boulevard on the campus of Sam Houston State University. It also is located right next door to the University Hotel.

  • ALL vehicles must be registered to park on the SHSU campus. This includes marked agency vehicles.
  • Prior to your class, you will receive information on how to register your vehicle and where to park.
  • For visitors and guests, there are pay-by-hour spaces along Bobby K. Marks Street and Bearkat Boulevard; however, these are managed through the City of Huntsville system and are not part of the University permits. Follow instructions listed on street signs for payment options and be sure to select "Huntsville" when asked to select a location. For more information on the City of Huntsville system, visit Huntsville Paid Parking.
  • Parking is also available for visitors in the Sam Houston Parking Garage, located at 1730 Avenue I, within walking distance to LEMIT. The parking garage contains approximately 250 hourly use parking spaces. Visitors should not park in the parking spaces that are numbered; the numbered spaces are reserved for Garage Permit Holders only. For directions to the SHSU Parking Garage, please click here.