Course detail: Beyond the Numbers: Leading the Law Enforcement Budget

Course Description:

A law enforcement budget is more than a financial document. It reflects an agency's priorities, strategy, operational realities, and ability to serve its community. Leaders must understand not only how a budget is developed, but how to make difficult financial decisions, communicate their priorities, defend requests, monitor spending, and adapt when circumstances change.
 
Beyond the Numbers: Leading the Law Enforcement Budget moves beyond lecture and places participants inside a realistic, full-cycle budgeting experience. Working in teams within a fictional city, participants will assume leadership roles and make a series of interconnected financial decisions throughout the day. Each decision becomes part of the evolving scenario, requiring participants to live with earlier choices as new information and challenges emerge.
 
Participants will examine a police budget, translate strategic priorities into financial decisions, distinguish between recurring and one-time expenses, account for personnel and capital needs, and build a prioritized base budget. Along the way, they may encounter an unexpected expense, a grant requiring matching funds, a mandated budget reduction, competing organizational priorities, and a financial crisis. They will also practice communicating and defending their recommendations to decision-makers.
 
The workshop emphasizes learning by doing. After establishing foundational knowledge, participants will spend the majority of the day working through problems, discussing options with peers, making decisions, and examining the consequences. Facilitated debriefs will connect the simulation to the realities participants face within their own agencies and communities.
 
Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of their role as financial leaders, practical approaches they can apply within their own organizations, and an action plan for putting their learning to work after returning to their agencies.

Core Competencies:
  • Managing Projects - Participants will demonstrate strong communication skills to convey messages effectively to share their vision, goals, ideas, and issues.
  • Leading People - Participants will lead and engage people to maximize organizational performance.
  • Managing Programs - Participants will use their knowledge, skills, and qualities to effectively perform the functions associated with management in their work environment.
Instructional Methods:
  • Scenarios
  • Peer Learning
  • Team Problem Solving
  • Presentation
Who Should Attend:
  • Law enforcement executives, command staff, and emerging command-level leaders who have responsibility for or involvement in agency budgeting and financial decision-making
Course Requirements:
  • 100% participation and attendance
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend University of Kansas sponsored events. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in an event, please email CPSL or call 620.694.1401 at least three weeks before the first day of the event. Some events may require notice earlier than three weeks and require you contact a specific individual; if so, that information is provided in the event-specific information.

Notice of Availability of the KLETC Annual Security and Fire Safety Report:

The University of Kansas has determined that the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) main campus in Hutchinson and its regional sites in Dodge City, Hays, and Parsons are separate campuses. This determination was made in consultation with the Department of Education. The report is available online:  https://civilrights.ku.edu/clery.

The report contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking; the procedures the institution will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred On-Campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Non-Campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the institution or a recognized student organization; and on Public Property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.

 A paper copy of the report will be provided upon request. If you would like to receive a paper copy, you can request that a copy be mailed to you by calling 785-864-6414 or emailing civilrights@ku.edu or arrange for pick-up at a KLETC location.

 Session Information: SL27023W

Schedule: Every day, starting on 01/21/27 and ending on 01/21/27
Times: 08:00am-05:00pm CST
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Registration Fee : $199.00

Add-ons
Every day, starting on 01/20/27 and ending on 01/21/27
08:00am-05:00pm CST
 

Bulletin

Participants are responsible for their own snacks, drinks, lodging and travel. Lunch is provided, daily. Please dress in layers as the temperature in the room may be difficult to adjust. KLETC Dormitory Information- For those with dorm room reservation, you may check in the evening before your training starts. Please come to the Main KLETC Entrance, it is near the flagpole and marked with a large "A". More information will be provided through email approximately one week before the start of training. Checkout time is 8 am on your departure day or last day of training, please have all personal items removed at that time. Sheets and a blanket are furnished for our guests. Items you may wish to bring: Alarm Clock, Bath Towels, Wash Cloths, Soap, Shampoo, Hair Dryer, Pillow and Pillowcase and an Extra Blanket. Law Enforcement officers attending continuing education training are permitted to carry their firearm while on the KLETC campus. Law enforcement officers carrying a firearm on the KLETC campus must possess appropriate agency identification. We are a tobacco and alcohol-free campus. Refund/Cancellation Policy: A full refund of lodging fees will be available if requested in writing cpsl@ku.edu and received by CPSL ten days prior to the beginning date of the seminar. After that date, but prior to the seminar, refunds will be made, but a $25.00 administrative fee will be charged. No refunds will be made after the starting date of the seminar. If you have any questions concerning this session, please contact CPSL at 620.694.1401 or by email at cpsl@ku.edu. Thank you again for your willingness to participate. We look forward to seeing you at KLETC!!

Instructors

Name Additional Resources
Joe Dessenberger

Facility Detail

KLETC Campus
Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, Learning Center Classrooms 5-8
11009 S Hornet Rd
Hutchinson, KS 67501
(620) 694-1400

Cancellation Policy

A refund less a $25.00 cancellation fee will be assessed for all cancellations made in writing prior to 10 days before the start of the event. After that time, no refunds will be made.