Two deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office have completed the National Command & Staff College’s Command and Staff Leadership Program, graduating as part of session #028 on January 24, 2025. Sergeant Ben Causland and Corporal Dylan Pugh started the program in 2024 and finished their residency portion in south Alabama earlier this year.
During the graduation ceremony, Sgt. Causland received the Top Research Award while Cpl. Pugh was honored with the Academic Leadership Achievement Award.
The leadership program aims to enhance participants’ abilities so they can better serve their agencies. It includes 240 hours of online coursework and an 80-hour in-person residency component. Training covers classroom study, lectures, practical exercises, and case studies focused on topics such as leadership strategies, personnel management, officer wellness, ethics, crisis communication, and professional culture building.
According to the National Command & Staff College’s website, “the main objective of this program is to improve leadership capability by creating more aware leaders, including intentionally deeper investments in the human domain and aligning mission and values. Graduates will be leaders and mentors for their people, dedicated to personal and professional growth, committed to promoting open communication, shared values, and focused on mission accomplishment.”
Sgt. Causland and Cpl. Pugh join several other LCSO members who have previously graduated from this program: Captain Bill McGuire, Lt. Jeff Snyder, Sgt. Greg Sumner (session #019), Lt. Mitch Allen, Lt. Jessica Daley, Lt. Derick Eidahl, and Sgt. Clayton Feagins (session #023). Past award recipients include Captain McGuire (Top Graduate), Lt. Snyder (MAGNUS OVĒA award), Lt. Daley (Presidents’ Award), and Sgt. Feagins (Academic Leadership Achievement Award).
