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

Body Armor

What a near-fatal encounter taught a Fla. cop about traffic stops

Speaking to a room full of trainers at the 2015 ILEETA conference, Wagoner told a room full of officers about the night that could have been his last

April 23, 2015 02:23 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Officer Safety

6 ‘invisible’ signs that a subject is resisting a police officer

Every aspect of the scene and the arrestee must be explained for the benefit of supervisors, prosecutors and juries

April 01, 2015 03:27 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

What the DOJ report got right about Ferguson

The facts leading to the conclusion that there is a pattern of citizen mistreatment — quite deliberately encouraged by Ferguson’s city governance — are sound

March 13, 2015 02:45 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Why critics of Ferguson police are poking the wrong bear

The decision by Officer Wilson to use deadly force — at the moment he made that decision — is entirely unrelated to any pre-existing police culture in Ferguson

March 13, 2015 02:43 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Command Staff - Chiefs / Sheriffs

6 ways to improve cooperation among public safety disciplines

In many places, failure to cooperate with other public safety entities is not an option – there’s no embarrassment in asking for help when the situation requires it

March 11, 2015 11:36 AM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

The 5 big lessons from DOJ’s Ferguson report

Whatever you think of the report, you’d be wise to use it as an opportunity to learn and steer your department away from a similar fate

March 05, 2015 07:01 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

Why cops need to watch more than the hands

If we truly fixate on the hands, are we giving up focus on other body and behavior cues that might give us earlier warning of non-compliance?

February 25, 2015 02:15 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

5 examples of effective discipline for small agency leaders

In a small agency, the police leader may work shoulder-to-shoulder with officers on the street, and kinship felt among officers and leaders in such cases must be managed as an asset and not a liability

February 04, 2015 05:12 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

6 keys to pitching your boss a new idea

Using crisis intervention techniques can be a good model for dealing with reactions to your bright idea

January 07, 2015 05:58 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.

4 keys to working with teenagers

December 10, 2014 01:47 PM

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D.