Alton’s police chief and two of the city’s command staff are set to receive a prestigious and rare FBI educational award later this month.
In a news release, Alton Chief Jonathan B. Flores announced that he and his command staff consisting of Assistant Chief Mark J. Perez and Lts. George Ibarra and Michael J. Martinez will be presented the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, or FBI LEEDA, Agency Trilogy Award at the city’s municipal chambers at 7:30 p.m. July 13.
“The award is given to police agencies in which all of the top Command Staff has successfully passed all three core education programs that provide the latest intensive instruction in management concepts and practices faced by today’s law enforcement professionals,” the release stated.
The Alton Police Department is just the fourth agency in Texas and 14th in the United States to receive the award, according to the release.
Through FBI LEEDA, the command staff was trained in numerous topics, including leadership case studies, performance, risk management, command discipline and liability, bias and diversity, social and emotional intelligence and public trust.
“It is truly an honor to receive this prestigious award. The accomplishment is another milestone in our commitment which we began three years ago to place the Alton Police Department at the forefront of professional policing,” Flores said in the statement. “These types of accolades serve as a reminder that we are blessed beyond measure with a core group of servant leaders who genuinely want to do good for the community.”
