The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Visiting Fellow Program is a premier opportunity for rising police leaders to expand their professional knowledge and leadership abilities.

Directly supporting the IACP mission of shaping the future of the policing profession, the visiting fellow program allows police leaders to be embedded with IACP staff to provide subject matter expertise, attend member meetings and conferences, and develop a better understanding of the complexity of the association and the many facets it supports in the policing profession.

Benefits of the Visiting Fellow Program extend beyond the individual. Each fellow’s home agency benefits from the continuous transfer of current police policies, training, and research to the department. Fellows contribute to the IACP with their insight and professional experience to enrich the work of the association and facilitate impactful support to the profession.

At any given time, the IACP has dozens of active projects ranging from officer safety and wellness, anti-human trafficking, agency assessments, roadway safety, and professional development to the business meetings of the 4 divisions, 24 sections, and 27 committees of the IACP. The visiting fellows provide direct operational support and subject matter expertise to these projects, as well as attend professional development and learning opportunities that align with their career and agency goals. They have the opportunity to author at least one article for publication in Police Chief on a selected critical issue in policing and to attend the IACP Annual Conference & Exposition, as well as other association conferences, symposiums, and meetings. Throughout their tenure, fellows experience and participate in high-level decision-making at the IACP, giving them insight on how IACP leadership approaches complex, volatile issues and makes sound, informed decisions to address issues facing the policing profession. Fellows also have the opportunity to support IACP efforts globally during international meetings and with ongoing projects, which currently include providing technical assistance in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, India, and Mexico.

Program Requirements

The Visiting Fellow Program is open to all sworn federal, state, local, and international law enforcement officers at the mid-rank level. All applications are screened and vetted to ensure alignment with specialized skills and interests. Once selected, each fellow is paired with an IACP senior leadership staff member who will assist in drafting a project plan that encompasses the fellow’s professional development goals and identifies participation opportunities with ongoing or upcoming IACP projects and events.

The duration of the program ranges from 6 to 18 months. During this time, the fellow resides in Alexandria, Virginia, and works at the IACP office. They are placed with an internal team where they have long-term program assignments, which will expand their leadership skills and professional development.

Some recent fellows and a few of their focus areas include

• • • Major Kathryn Shaw, U.S. Army, worked with the IACP Research Center and IACP Law Enforcement Policing Center updating policy consideration documents, translating research into practice, and leading working groups.
    • Captain Shahram Fard, Alexandria Police Department, Virginia, participated in police operational assessments in the United States. and managed road safety skills development and international exchanges between U.S. and Brazil police agencies.
    • Lieutenant Kyrus Branch, Arlington Police Department, Texas, participated in police operational assessments, leadership development, and police command study tour with the United Arab Emirates.
    • Captain Matthew Tighe, United States Capitol Police, Washington, DC, oversaw course curriculum development, participated in promotional testing and leadership development projects, and engaged in policy working groups.
    • Lieutenant Donald Fulbright, Arlington Police Department, Texas, led road safety training and development sessions in Colombia and Kenya and participated in policy working groups.

Each of these fellows continue to be active with the IACP as appointed committee members, recurring consultants, and peer connectors with association resources. More important, each has grown professionally through their visiting fellow experience and continue to contribute to their agencies and the profession.