Leadership in Policing

Adaptive Leadership Program for Police Officers

12-Week Online Executive Course
Institute for Public Leadership
Asian School of Government

Overview

Effective public safety leadership today demands collaboration across agencies, units, and communities. Local problems—such as community mistrust, organized crime, youth violence, and institutional reform—are adaptive. They require cross-functional teams who can work across silos, test solutions, and lead systemic change together.

This 12-week online executive course is designed for groups of 3 to 12 individuals from the same Local Government Unit (LGU)—including police leaders, public safety officers, and relevant LGU staff. Participants work in teams of three, each focused on a specific adaptive challenge in their area of responsibility. Using Adaptive Leadership and Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA), teams build the leadership and problem-solving capacity needed to drive local reform.

Who Should Enroll

LGU teams may be composed of:

Local police officials (e.g. station commander, chief of operations)

Public safety officers (e.g. disaster risk, traffic, peace and order units)

Local planning and governance staff

Members of peace and order councils or task forces

Group size: 3 to 12 individuals from the same LGU

Teams of 3 will be formed within each group, based on shared priorities or focus areas

Course Format

12 Weeks | 100% Online | Team-Based | Approximately 3–4 hours/week

Weekly Online Learning Modules (Self-Paced)
Video lectures, tools, and exercises on adaptive leadership and PDIA. Practical applications to policing, governance, and inter-agency coordination.

Live Online Sessions (Biweekly via Zoom)
90-minute interactive workshops featuring real-world cases and public safety leadership challenges.

Team-Based Leadership Labs

Each team of 3 selects a real, shared challenge to work on. Teams apply PDIA to unpack problems, identify entry points, and run small interventions. Supported by:

Three Peer Consultation Labs (Weeks 4, 8, 12) with other LGU teams

Coaching prompts and team reflections

Final presentation and Leadership Lab memo

Cross-Team Learning (Optional)
The full LGU group meets twice (kickoff and closing) for cross-team sharing. Additional check-ins facilitated by IPL or designated LGU mentors.

What You’ll Learn

Participants will gain skills to:

Distinguish adaptive vs. technical problems in local public safety

Exercise leadership across boundaries and without formal authority

Use PDIA to analyze and act on real-world problems iteratively

Build trust and align action across police units and LGU departments

Sustain energy and legitimacy in reform efforts

Lead local innovations rooted in real context, not generic best practices

Sample Challenges Teams Might Work On

Designing community-based drug response and reintegration programs

Addressing petty crime or youth violence in informal settlements

Improving coordination between traffic enforcement and police

Reforming incident response and reporting systems

Strengthening barangay-level public safety partnerships

Course Timeline

Start Date: July 1, 2025
Live Sessions (Whole Cohort): Every other Wednesday, 4:00–5:30 PM PHT
Team Consultation Labs:

Week 4: July 24

Week 8: August 21

Week 12: September 18
Team Presentations: Week of September 23
Leadership Lab Memos Due: September 30, 2025

Program Fee

PHP 30,000 per LGU group of 3-12 individuals. Need-based scholarships are available for low-income LGUs. Fee includes access to online modules, live sessions, peer consultations, and certification.  

Certification

Participants who complete all modules and submit a Leadership Lab output as a team will receive a:

Certificate in Leadership for Peace and Order from the Asian School of Government – Institute for Public Leadership

Apply as an LGU Group

Application Deadline: June 15, 2025