Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Passion for the Job

Joel Shults retired as Chief of Police in Colorado. Over his 30-year career in uniformed law enforcement and criminal justice education, Joel served in a variety of roles: academy instructor, police chaplain, deputy coroner, investigator, community relations officer, college professor and police chief, among others. Shults earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri, with a graduate degree in Public Services Administration and a bachelor degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Central Missouri. In addition to service with the U.S. Army military police and CID, Shults has done observational studies with over 50 police agencies across the country. He has served on a number of advisory and advocacy boards, including the Colorado POST curriculum committee, as a subject matter expert.

LATEST ARTICLES

Command Staff - Chiefs / Sheriffs

4 things police leaders should be doing to stop police suicide

Few agencies are making significant efforts to prevent the loss of lives and productivity resulting from stress injury to the body

September 18, 2017 02:32 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Use of Force

5 use of force studies cops should know

Research backs up the reality that unlawful shootings by police are extremely rare; here’s what you need to know

September 05, 2017 03:02 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Police Training

Why cops must be scholars: 6 tips for understanding research

Many PD policies are influenced by academic studies, which is why you need to know how to understand the research

July 17, 2017 04:33 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Mass Casualty Incidents

When violence erupts: 6 considerations for cops in a large-scale critical incident

Active killer incidents and other large-scale mass-casualty events are sudden — you need to get ready with tactics and tools to help get you through a very, very long day

December 04, 2015 04:28 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Officer Misconduct / Internal Affairs

Integrity management: 5 keys to weeding out bad cops

If we tell ourselves an officer can falsify his location for a sexual liaison but would never lie in a report, we are lying to ourselves

November 18, 2015 05:36 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Why safety campaigns are no place for sarcasm

November 17, 2015 04:18 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Police Jobs & Careers

Why PDs must support, not discard, cops in distress

Agencies and legislatures must protect these professionals from job loss for seeking care where no permanent threat to public safety exists

November 12, 2015 02:57 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Use of Force

6 ‘old school’ rules that still apply to use of force

We may have allowed our critics to get into our heads and cloud our minds at times of critical decision-making

November 11, 2015 06:34 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Police News

What’s it like to lead today’s cops? 3 chiefs speak out

As these chiefs testify, active police leaders are not just riding out the storm, but making positive efforts to keep officers safe, morale high, and community trust intact

October 22, 2015 07:13 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Want real data on the dangers of police work? Get behind the PRIDE ACT

We have no national clearinghouse for reporting assaults on officers unless the officer dies, and certainly no way to begin to count the anecdotal reports of increased resistance to police contacts

October 07, 2015 01:17 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.