Columbia Police Department Partners with Lincoln University’s Law Enforcement Training Academy to Provide In-House Officer Training

Lincoln University’s Law Enforcement Training Academy (LULETA) will be partnering with the Columbia Police Department to offer in-house officer training.

The Columbia Police Department is partnering with Lincoln University’s Law Enforcement Training Academy (LULETA) to bring expert-level training directly to its officers. This collaboration, unanimously approved by the Columbia City Council, reflects the department’s commitment to enhancing officer preparedness and responses to calls for service and traffic stops. The in-house training program, led by LULETA, will begin on October 31 and run for approximately 19 weeks.

LULETA’s community-focused training includes scenario-based exercises, allowing recruits to role-play real-world situations. This approach emphasizes a balance between law enforcement and community engagement. Chief Gary Hill, Lincoln University’s chief of police and director of LULETA, hopes the partnership will produce officers “well-versed in constitutional law, criminal statutes and officer safety,” while also instilling a deep sense of community involvement. “It’s not us against the community but us as part of it,” he said.

Previously, Columbia police recruits trained at the University of Missouri’s Law Enforcement Training Institute. The shift to Lincoln University’s program, the first law enforcement academy at a historically Black college or university (HBCU), is designed to tailor training to the department’s specific needs and values. 

According to Chief Hill, the in-house program will closely follow LULETA’s existing model. “Our academy uses an adult learning approach,” Hill said. Recruits will complete physical training, firearms instruction and emergency driving courses. 

The Columbia Police Department will provide about 90% of the infrastructure, including facilities, technology and instructors. Most trainers will be full-time Columbia police officers, with two retired officers brought on as civilian trainers. 

Recruits will also receive specialized training in mental health and crisis intervention, including a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) course and 30 hours of interpersonal skills development to enhance communication with the public.

This partnership aligns with Lincoln University’s goals of outreach and collaboration. “We’re always looking to show who Lincoln is and collaborate with others,” Hill said. LULETA previously partnered with the St. Louis Sheriff’s Department.

The program not only provides recruits with the opportunity to earn college credits but also deepens the department’s ties to the community, fostering public trust and cultivating a positive, collaborative department culture.