Thunder Bay Police Service brings professional development training closer to home
The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) hosted the Supervisor Leadership Institute (SLI) at the TBPS Station from June 8 to 12, 2026, bringing the training program closer to home.
SLI is an FBI-LEEDA program — they’re the gold standard for law enforcement leadership training in North America.
FBI-LEEDA — the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association — is a private, non-profit organization that grew out of the FBI’s executive training programs.
The program operates independently and is not part of the FBI.
The course runs for five days and is open to front-line supervisors and any police leaders, sworn or civilian.
The Ontario Provincial Police, Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, and the University of North Dakota Police Service participated in the course alongside TBPS.
There was a total of 24 participants, 16 of which were members of TBPS.
The instructor is Chief David Boggs, a retired Chief of Police out of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, FBI National Academy grad, and an FBI Executive Teaching Fellow.
The course covers leadership principles, building credibility, discipline and supervisor liability, and participants do a personal DISC leadership style assessment.
The DISC leadership assessment is a behavioral profiling tool that categorizes individuals into four primary personality styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.
“Supervisors who complete the SLI return with practical, immediately applicable leadership skills — better equipped to manage their teams, handle discipline consistently and defensibly, and build credibility with the people they lead,” explained TBPS Inspector of Operational Support Jason Rybak.
“It strengthens the overall quality of supervision across the organization and contributes to a more professional, accountable police service.”
Today it is recognized as the leading provider of law enforcement leadership education in North America, having trained tens of thousands of officers and leaders across hundreds of courses annually.
“Strong supervision produces better policing,” added Rybak. “When front-line supervisors lead with credibility, communicate effectively, and make sound decisions, it translates directly into how officers interact with the public. Communities benefit from a police service where leadership at every level is intentional, accountable, and committed to continuous improvement.”
Their core program is the Leadership Trilogy — three progressive courses targeting every level of police leadership:
• The Supervisor Leadership Institute (SLI)
• Command Leadership Institute (CLI)
• Executive Leadership Institute (ELI)
Graduates who have completed all three programs also earn transferable college credit upon completion.
