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USCG Captain Thomas Walsh Receives FLETA Agency Leadership Award

For Immediate Release
FLETA Board Chair Brian Peters (left) and FLETA Executive Director Gary Mitchell, Ph.D. present USCG Captain Thomas Walsh with the FLETA Agency Leadership Recognition Award

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) Board is pleased to announce U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Captain Thomas Walsh, Commanding Officer of the USCG Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA), as the recipient of the FLETA Agency Leadership Recognition Award. FLETA Board Chairperson, Mr. Brian Peters, presented the Agency Leadership Recognition Award to Captain Walsh at the April 16, 2015 meeting of the FLETA Board of Directors.

“This is only the second time the FLETA Board has bestowed this honor,” explained Mr. Peters. “Since the earliest days of FLETA, the USCG has been a stalwart champion of the FLETA process, the Board, and the Office of Accreditation.  The USCG has consistently demonstrated the highest standards associated with the advancement of the federal law enforcement training mission. The FLETA Board commends and thanks the USCG and Captain Walsh for the continued leadership and support of the FLETA vision and mission.”

“The MLEA has appreciated the opportunity to interact and learn from our partner agencies over the years,” stated Captain Walsh. “It is through these interactions that the Coast Guard has significantly enhanced its law enforcement credibility and instilled a sense of confidence within its senior leadership and the professional maritime community at large, that the training development cycle and training programs offered at the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy are of the highest caliber. The Coast Guard is humbled and honored to receive FLETA’s Agency Recognition Award.”

Since 2006, the MLEA has been active throughout the FLETA process. The MLEA has and continues to demonstrate excellence in FLETA by sharing model practices with other FLETA members. In particular, MLEA’s training risk assessment, analysis process, and instructor feedback forms have been used as the benchmark for other agencies’ training programs. In addition, the MLEA:

  • led a team in the development and implementation of the Federal Law Enforcement Accreditation Coalition, a community of accreditation managers, assessors and other training professionals that support the FLETA process through self-assessments, community support, and networking opportunities;
  • has volunteered and maintained approximately 10% of its workforce as assessors conducting more than 45 assessments for more than 19 different federal agencies;
  • supported the development and revision of FLETA accreditation manager, assessor, and team leader training programs; and,
  • actively served on the FLETA Board leading the development of the first FLETA Standards for distance learning.

The FLETA Agency Leadership Recognition Award is the highest award given by the FLETA Board to leaders that have a long-standing history of outstanding contributions to, and in superior support of, the FLETA mission and process. The evaluation criteria and selection process for the FLETA Agency Leadership Recognition Award are specifically intended to identify leaders worthy of distinguished recognition. Contributions must directly support and contribute to the overall FLETA mission, while demonstrating the highest standards associated with the advancement of the federal law enforcement training mission.

The FLETA Board is the accrediting body for all federal law enforcement training and support programs. To achieve accreditation, agencies submit to an independent review of their academy and/or program to ensure compliance with the FLETA Standards and Procedures in the areas of Program Administration, Training Staff, Training Development, and Training Delivery, with an additional 20 standards for Academies. Accreditation is a cyclical process occurring every three years. Each year agencies must submit annual reports in preparation for reaccreditation, which is a new and independent review of the academy/program.