Select either the Executive Leadership School—a two-week, 80-hour professional development program—or the Front-line Justice Leadership School—a one-week, 40-hour executive professional development program. Each program is designed to prepare you to lead with confidence, accountability and impact.
Two Weeks:
August 3-14, 2026
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
80 hours of professional development
Designed for lieutenants
and command staff.
$1,500 per person
One Week:
August 17-21, 2026
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
40 hours of professional development
Designed for sergeants, corporals, and field training officers ready to excel in modern policing leadership.
$750 per person
This program complies with the guidelines of the following mandates for chiefs and deputy chiefs:
Topics discussed include resilient leadership; the transition process; civil liability; and critical communication skills in LEO/Citizen Interactions.
This program is designed for those currently serving in a supervisory or training role within a law enforcement agency. Participants will build practical skills in leadership, communication, legal accountability, and officer wellness, equipping them to lead effectively in high-pressure environments.
What You’ll Gain
Join us for hands-on, scenario-based learning combined with real-world case studies and interactive discussions that ensure immediate application on the job.
Dr. Anastasios Goulos brings nearly three decades of law enforcement experience from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, where he played a key role in major narcotics and currency seizures and assisted in the apprehension of violent offenders. In addition to his policing career, he is a higher education professional with over 14 years of experience and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Criminal and Social Justice (CSJU) at the University of St. Francis.
His academic work emphasizes mentoring, advising, criminal justice research, and both undergraduate and graduate instruction, integrating practical law enforcement experience with contemporary justice reform principles. Now entering his third year at the University of St. Francis, Dr. Goulos is actively researching restorative justice, domestic violence victimization rates, and immigration enforcement which he is guest speaker at Yale University’s Annual Bouchet Conference on Diversity & Graduate Education. His goal is to develop this research into an undergraduate textbook on policing, designed to support a diverse population of domestic violence survivors and students in criminal justice education.
Dr. Goulos has contributed strategically to both law enforcement and academic institutions and is committed to advancing experiential learning that balances theory and practice. In 2025, he was recognized as Advisor of the Year by Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society.
Chief William “Bill” Evans is a former Cook County sheriff’s police commander, during which he served in a variety of positions in his 25-year career with the department, including the gang crimes unit, the Hostage Barricade Terrorist Team, the patrol division, the organized crime section and as a police academy instructor. During his career in policing, he received several department commendations and awards. Chief Evans served as the commanding officer of the sheriff’s police Emergency Services Bureau and was a member of the department’s Hostage Barricade Terrorist Team for over 16 years. He is a veteran of over 750 critical incidents during his tenure as a sheriff’s police officer.
Chief Evans was also the co-chairman of the UASI Training and Exercise Committee, having been involved in the planning and execution of several full-scale training exercises, training seminars and tabletop exercises. Evans has had the honor of travelling overseas to provide instruction to law enforcement personnel from around the globe.
During his time as a SWAT commander, Chief Evans has not only provided training and evaluation to various tactical teams, he also assisted in creating training programs for outside SWAT agencies. After retirement from the sheriff’s police, Chief Evans worked for the United States Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. and has written several law enforcement articles that were published in various publications. He also has spent time in the private sector as a safety consultant.
In 2023, Chief Evans was featured in James Patterson’s book “Walk the Blue Line”.
Under Chief Evans’ leadership, the City of Joliet has seen a significant decrease in firearm incidents and has overseen the advancement of technology and capital investments bringing the JPD an advantage of state-of-the-art technology. Evans has been largely credited with stabilizing the organization and improving officer and staff morale, which has led to improved productivity within the agency and has enhanced its relationship with the community.
In 2024, Evans wrote an article on police leadership that was published in the Academy of Criminal and Social Justice – Police Forum Magazine.
From 1992-1997, Chief Evans was a professional boxer in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions. He went on to have a successful professional career, eventually being ranked #2 in the state. Bill also played college football at St. Joseph’s College.
Chief Evans holds a master’s degree in criminal justice administration and a bachelor’s degree in World Sociology from Saint Joseph’s College in Indiana. He is also a 2005 graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and the Western Illinois University’s 21st century in law enforcement executive development course.
A native of Chicago’s southwest side, Chief Evans now resides in downtown Joliet.
Throughout his extensive law enforcement career, Garry F. McCarthy, president, and CEO of McCarthy Byrnes, has consistently delivered superior results. Through executive leadership roles, operations management techniques and implementing innovative crime control strategies, McCarthy has significantly reduced crime and streamlined efficiencies.
From 2011 to 2015, Mr. McCarthy served as the Police Superintendent for the City of Chicago, the second-largest police department in the nation. He oversaw a $1.4 billion budget and 13 thousand sworn and civilian employees. During his tenure, he worked diligently to reduce violence and crime by using proven crime fighting and prevention strategies that helped reduce crime in other major American cities including New York City and Newark. Under Garry McCarthy’s leadership, Chicago saw four straight years of reduction in overall crime and the fewest violent crime incidents since the 1960s. Through policy and training efforts, he reduced police-related
shootings by 70 percent and police complaints by 50 percent. Since 2011- 2015, overall crime in Chicago has fallen by more than 37 percent—across the FBI’s combined major crime indices.
Prior to his role as the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, McCarthy served as the Police Director for Newark, New Jersey from 2006 to 2011. Under his watch, the department led the nation in murder reduction in 2008. From 2006 to 2008, he oversaw a 12 percent reduction in overall crime and reduced civilian complaints against personnel by more than 20 percent. He has also created innovative systems that helped ensure accountability throughout the police force. This role presented a mix of challenges. Due to state-mandated layoffs, McCarthy was called to implement strategies that streamlined the department and reduced the budget by more than $33 million. Here, he removed non-essential roles and ensured that there was no disruption in patrol levels or officers on the street.
McCarthy began his law enforcement career with the New York City Police Department, NYPD. Over the course of his career with the NYPD, he held multiple supervisory and command positions including Deputy Commissioner of Operations. In this role, he acted as the principal crime control strategist for the department. He was also a key policymaker responsible for directing the planning and motivating a staff of thousands. He was critically involved in planning, coordinating, and directing the response to the World Trade Center attack and aftermath. After his involvement, he was called to act as the Coordinator of the Metropolitan Committee on Counter Terrorism, a committee comprised of 43 federal, state, and local agencies.
Mr. McCarthy has been awarded more than twenty Commendations for Valor, is a sought-after expert and international public speaker, and is an active member of many organizations. He served as the first vice president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association and is a member of the Police Executive Research Forum. He was also featured in the award-winning documentary Brick City. McCarthy attended the prestigious Police Management Institute at Columbia University as well as the graduate program at Marist College in New York. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York-Albany and currently resides in Chicago, Illinois with his wife, Kristin.
Patrick H. Siemsen’s had a 27-year career with the Homewood Police Department, where he served in roles such as Police Officer, Tactical Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Detective Sergeant. He also spent nearly 25 years with the South Suburban Emergency Response Team, holding positions up to Team Commander and Director of Training.
Patrick’s career in public service began with his six-year tenure in the U.S. Army/Illinois Army National Guard, where he served honorably as a Sergeant. He graduated from the Chicago Police Department, which led to a distinguished career in law enforcement and public safety. Patrick serves as Chief of Police for the City of Momence and recently earned certification as a Certified Chief of Police from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
Beyond his Homewood service, Patrick has led multiple police departments as Chief of Police and served as Director of Safety and Security for the Crete-Monee School District. Patrick’s educational achievements include an Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Political and Social Justice. He graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and its Executive Management Program.
As co-owner of Threat Assessment Executives, Patrick helps schools implement safety programs, including threat assessments, workplace violence prevention, and therapy dog initiatives. He is also an experienced educator, teaching criminal justice courses at colleges and universities, and has presented at national conferences on public safety and security.
With his extensive background in leadership, public safety, and community engagement, Patrick H. Siemsen is committed to serving Homewood and working toward a safe, vibrant, and thriving future for all residents.
Joseph Garrett has dedicated more than 35 years to law enforcement and currently serves as the Deputy Chief of the Hometown Police Department, where he oversees general operations. He began his civilian law enforcement career with the Chicago Housing Authority Police Department before joining the Oak Lawn Police Department, where he developed a primary specialty in forensics. During his tenure at Oak Lawn, he rose to the rank of Commander and led both the Investigation Division and the 3rd Watch Patrol groups until his retirement in 2024.
In 2005, while serving with the Oak Lawn Police Department, Joseph deployed with ILEAS to support search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. During this mission, he collected evidence and documented disaster conditions, an experience he credits as a pivotal moment in his personal and professional life. He has since spoken to school and community groups about the operation and maintains a large collection of previously unpublished photographs capturing the devastation. Joseph has also completed advanced Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and is committed to enhancing officers’ skills in communicating with and supporting individuals experiencing mental illness. In addition, he prioritizes promoting officer wellness throughout the department.
Joseph served ten years in the U.S. Army National Guard as a commissioned Military Police officer. He deployed during Operation Desert Storm and achieved the rank of Captain.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Illinois Benedictine University, a Master’s degree from Chicago State University, and completed the Northwestern School of Staff and Command while serving with the Oak Lawn Police Department.
Sajid Haidari brings over 28 years of law enforcement experience. He has dedicated his career to serving the community through leadership, investigative excellence, and professional development. Throughout his tenure, he has held positions in patrol, investigations, and supervision, overseeing complex investigations and leading teams in high-pressure environments.
He is committed to mentoring new personnel, fostering accountability, and promoting collaborative partnerships that enhance public safety. His experience includes criminal investigations, supervisory case management, personnel leadership, and interagency coordination.
In addition to his law enforcement career, he has taught college-level courses at Moraine Valley Community College focused on criminal justice and society. His instruction encouraged classroom discussion, student engagement, and the development of critical thinking skills.
James Pacetti served with distinction for 30 years with the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department in Chicago and currently serve as a Lieutenant with the Will County Forest Preserve Police Department.
“Early in my law enforcement career, I worked in the patrol division and later in the Gang Crimes Narcotics Unit before spending the next 25 years assigned to the Canine Unit.
From the beginning, I was drawn to canine work. It was a demanding assignment with a high operational tempo, and I welcomed the challenge and opportunity to be consistently engaged in meaningful, impactful work.
Over the course of my career, I partnered with four extraordinary dogs, each possessing unique abilities and personalities that shaped both my professional career and personal life.
My first partners were Arno, a German Shepherd, and Amber, a Belgian Malinois. Both were highly trained dual-purpose patrol dogs proficient in narcotic detection, tracking, criminal apprehension, evidence recovery, area/building search and officer protection. I later partnered with Melanie, a scent-specific trailing Bloodhound, for 12 remarkable years. Together, we conducted thousands of searches, ranging from locating missing children and vulnerable adults to tracking dangerous fugitives, including serial offenders. Every deployment carried a sense of urgency, and every trail represented an opportunity to bring someone home safely or help deliver justice. My final canine partner was Tanner, a Wirehaired Vizsla specializing in narcotics detection.
Throughout my career, I witnessed firsthand the extraordinary capabilities of working dogs and the power of the partnership between handler and canine. That bond is built on trust, discipline, instinct, communication, and unwavering loyalty. Those same principles extend beyond the handler-dog relationship and are critical to the successful coordination of search operations and critical incidents.
Drawing upon decades of operational experience, I provide practical knowledge and guidance in the planning, management, execution, and debriefing of search operations and other critical incidents. My experience includes coordinating multi-agency responses, developing search strategies, managing resources, and evaluating operational outcomes to improve future performance. My goal is to help agencies maximize effectiveness, enhance safety, and achieve successful outcomes in even the most challenging circumstances.”
Robert Byrnes is a distinguished partner and Chief Operating Officer at McCarthy Byrnes, a firm dedicated to providing clients with strategic solutions to manage their risk exposure effectively. With nearly 30 years of experience in law enforcement, Robert brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role, ensuring clients receive the highest level of service.
In his capacity as COO, Robert is responsible for conducting thorough, independent security assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities, ensuring the safety of both employees and assets. His proactive approach not only mitigates risks but also creates a secure and productive environment for clients. By understanding the unique challenges each client faces, Robert tailors innovative strategies to meet their specific needs, offering peace of mind and operational stability.
Before joining McCarthy Byrnes, Robert served as Deputy Director of the Illinois Secretary of State Police and Deputy Chief of the South Chicago Heights Police. He is renowned for his work in investigating organized crime organizations, having spent over 20 years as a key member of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police HIDTA Task Force. His extensive experience in law enforcement has made him a respected figure in the field.
Robert is an active member of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, where he receives annual training on criminal trends and investigations. He has attended both the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the Executive Police Management Program. Additionally, he is certified by the Illinois Training and Standards Board as a gang specialist and investigative training instructor.
As an instructor, Robert has provided invaluable insight into criminal investigations for hundreds of police officers from various agencies throughout the State of Illinois. His dedication to training and mentoring the next generation of law enforcement professionals underscores his commitment to public safety and excellence in policing. Additionally, Robert is a speaker on Leadership, Officer Wellness, and Task Force Operations at the University of St. Francis – Joliet in their Executive Justice Training Institute. His expertise and passion for these topics have made a significant impact on law enforcement professionals, further enhancing their skills and knowledge.
Robert Byrnes’ extensive background and unwavering dedication make him an invaluable asset to McCarthy Byrnes and its clients.
Carrie Landau is a retired FBI Special Agent with 21 years of experience specializing in Crimes Against Children and human trafficking investigations. She served in the FBI’s Cleveland and Chicago field offices and spent six years as the Crimes Against Children Coordinator for the Chicago Division, working closely with more than 120 law enforcement agencies across the Chicagoland area to develop coordinated responses to child exploitation and sex trafficking.
Carrie was a team leader on the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team (North Central) and played a key role in the creation of the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force. She has trained law enforcement, prosecutors, and multidisciplinary professionals nationwide and has served as a keynote speaker at numerous national conferences.
She has been qualified as an expert witness in U.S. Federal Court on sex trafficking matters and has testified in that capacity multiple times. Carrie was the case agent for the first domestic minor sex trafficking prosecution in the Northern District of Ohio and worked on landmark cases that helped shape evolving human trafficking law.
Her honors include the FBI Medal of Excellence, Agent of the Year for the FBI Chicago Division, and the Hero’s Award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She currently serves as a Police Commissioner for the City of Frankfort, Illinois, is a professor at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law teaching Human Trafficking and continues to advise agencies on best practices in human trafficking investigations.
Patrick Morley brings nearly 33 years of distinguished service in law enforcement. His background spans both policing and prosecution with the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, giving him a uniquely comprehensive understanding of criminal justice operations.
Morley served as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney from January 2000 through November 2025. From December 2019 until his retirement, he was a supervisor the Gun Crime Strategies Unit, where he oversaw complex firearms‑related investigations and prosecutions. Earlier in his prosecutorial career, he held assignments in the Gang and Complex Homicide Unit, the Cold Case Homicide and Organized Crime Unit, and the Complex Narcotics Unit. Over the course of his tenure, Morley tried 59 felony jury trials, including three separate cases involving the murders of Chicago Police Officers. His work also included prosecuting multiple attempted murders of law enforcement, directing the investigation and prosecution of 11 defendants in a state‑level RICO case, and advancing multiple cold case homicide investigations, from investigation, charging, to trial. He was cross designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney from 2021 until his retirement.
Before joining the State’s Attorney’s Office, Morley served for seven years as a Chicago Police Officer and Sergeant, including during his law school studies. He was assigned to the 10th District on Chicago’s West Side and the 1st District in the downtown area before being promoted to Sergeant and taking on supervisory responsibilities in the 9th District on the South Side.
Education has been a central part of Morley’s career for more than two decades. He has taught at the college level or above since 1998 and maintains an active role in law enforcement training across the country. He teaches for Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety, instructing in the School of Police Staff and Command, a role he has held since 2008. He is also an adjunct professor at DePaul University College of Law, where he teaches members of the Chicago Police Department in the Master’s in Legal Studies Program. Additionally, Morley has served as an online adjunct instructor for Purdue University since 2005. Morley has taught police from the greater Chicagoland area for North-East Multi-Regional Training (NEMRT) since 2002. His previous instructional experience includes eight years teaching investigations at the University of Illinois at Chicago, along with courses at Harold Washington College, Truman College, Calumet College, Loyola University Chicago, Adler University, and the Chicago Police Academy.
Morley currently serves as the Chairman of the Illinois Athletic Board, having been appointed to a six‑year term in 2025. He has held positions on state boards since 2010 and has worked as a professional boxing judge since 2008. As of December 2025, he has judged 45 world title fights around the world. He is also the author of several publications, including the textbook Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals: Learning to Write and Interpret Police Reports (2008).
Morley earned his Juris Doctor from IIT Chicago‑Kent College of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Fabio Valentini graduated from St. John’s University in 1988 and from Brooklyn Law School in 1991. For more than 25 years, Fabio was a prosecutor with the Office of the Cook County State’s Attorney, the second largest prosecutor’s office in the nation. For 6 years, Fabio was the Chief of the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau, the largest bureau in the office, supervising as many as five hundred attorneys assigned to as many as twenty divisions throughout Cook County, including the felony trial division, the sex-crimes division, the domestic violence division, the conviction integrity unit, the traffic division, all suburban districts, the misdemeanor division, the post-conviction and DNA review units, and the criminal appeals division. Previously, after several years assigned to felony trial courtrooms, Fabio supervised the Felony Review Unit, responsible for all felony charging decisions. Fabio has handled thousands of criminal prosecutions and has personally prosecuted more than ninety jury trials and sixty-five murder jury trials.
After leaving the Office of the Cook County State’s Attorney, Fabio was the Executive Director of the Office of Professional Review for the Cook County Sheriff for almost four years. In that position, Fabio was responsible for all investigations involving allegations of criminal activity or other misconduct committed by Cook County Sheriff’s Office employees, including police officers, correctional officers, court personnel, and members of the executive staff.
Fabio has taught, and continues to teach numerous criminal justice courses, including legal research and writing, political science, substantive criminal law, and civil litigation, to college students. He has also lectured and conducted training for prosecutors on both a local and state-wide level. He currently trains prosecutors in basic and advanced courses, from 102 counties throughout Cook County in trial skills and trial procedures. He has also trained Chicago Police officers and detectives regarding charging decisions, interrogations, and other legal issues. For the past 5 years, Fabio has been teaching law to police recruits at the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Training Academy. These law classes are taught to recruits heading to the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department and to various police agencies in Cook County and suburban counties, and include criminal offenses in Illinois, laws of arrest, search and seizure, rules of evidence, rights of the accused, juvenile law and procedure, laws of admissions, case preparation and courtroom testimony, moot court, and law review. Fabio is also currently assigned as a Special Prosecutor in several cases in Cook and Will County.