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On June 8, 2018, Sergeant Chad Pearson of the Janesville Police Department gathered with 31 law enforcement leaders from around the state as they graduated from the Wisconsin Command College and achieved the professional designation “Certified Public Manager”.

The Wisconsin Command College is a joint venture of the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the University of Wisconsin – Certified Public Manager Program. Students attended six weeks of classes at the Wisconsin State Patrol Academy.

“The Command College provides these law enforcement professionals with skills and knowledge to better serve their communities,” says CPM Program Director Robbi Dreifuerst. “The entire State of Wisconsin benefits from their commitment to professional development.” The program embodies the Wisconsin Idea, the concept that the University should improve lives beyond the classroom. “The University of Wisconsin is pleased to partner with the Wisconsin Department Justice on this program,” Dreifuerst said.

As part of the curriculum, students were challenged to complete a sustainable class project with statewide benefit. Class V created the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Achievement Diary (“WI-LEAD”), a social media aggregation tool to highlight positive stories about law enforcement and law enforcement officers around the state.

Bradley Wentlandt, the Greenfield Police Chief who founded the Command College six years ago and serves as the program manager said the graduating students sacrificed a lot to attain this honor. “Command College students spend six weeks away from their families in a challenging academic environment. This achievement is a testament to their dedication to our profession and our communities.”

Sergeant Pearson, along with his graduating class, will join the ranks of over 25,000 Certified Public Managers nationwide.