Eller Executive Education Launches Institute for Modern Policing with Tucson Police Department
Eller Executive Education (EEE), an affiliate of the University of Arizona, has launched the Institute for Modern Policing, an innovative executive education program developed in partnership with the Tucson Police Department (TPD) to equip law enforcement leaders with the skills needed to thrive in today’s complex and rapidly evolving public safety environment.
The Institute for Modern Policing places Eller Executive Education and the Tucson Police Department among a select group of university–public safety partnerships nationally that are advancing executive education for law enforcement leadership. The collaboration brings a custom, cross-disciplinary leadership development model to Tucson, focused on the ethical, operational, legal, analytical, and communication demands of modern policing. It is the first program of its kind in the Southwest region.
The imperative for this program is strong: Promotion from first-line supervisor to management represents far more than a change in rank — it is a fundamental shift in how a law enforcement professional influences their organization. The Institute for Modern Policing is designed to accelerate that transition, building law enforcement leadership skills in the critical systems that define modern policing: ethical decision-making, public finance, constitutional law, data analytics, technology, and crisis communication.
“The continuous development of our workforce is essential to building a thriving, trusted police department that is prepared to meet the evolving expectations of our community. We are excited to partner with the University of Arizona as we embark on this new chapter with the Institute for Modern Policing. This collaboration reflects our commitment to investing in our people, strengthening leadership, and ensuring our organization is equipped to meet the challenges of modern policing through innovation, education, and professional excellence,” said Tucson Police Department Chief Monica Prieto.
The program is structured across four thematic weeks: Foundation: Know the Rules; Systems: Navigate the Organization; Impact: Lead Through Change; and Proof: From Learning to Leading. Participants engage with faculty from multiple colleges at the University of Arizona, gaining cross-disciplinary insights that extend well beyond traditional law enforcement training. The program concludes with a capstone project in which participants apply their learning to a real strategic challenge within their organization and present their results to EEE faculty and TPD leadership.
“The Institute for Modern Policing reflects Eller Executive Education’s commitment to developing leaders who can serve their communities with strategic clarity, operational excellence, and professional integrity. By bringing together the depth of a world-class research university and the real-world expertise of law enforcement, we are equipping Tucson and Arizona’s next generation of police leadership with skills that will have a lasting impact,” says Dr. Paul Melendez, Lead Faculty of the program and University Distinguished Outreach Professor at Eller College of Management, University of Arizona.
The curriculum draws on faculty expertise from across the University of Arizona, including the Eller College of Management, the James E. Rogers College of Law, the School of Government and Public Policy, and the Office of Public Safety. Together, these thought leaders bring knowledge spanning business leadership, constitutional law, public finance, labor relations, data science, research methods, organizational behavior, and strategic communication.