Law Enforcement Foundation

What Law Enforcement Foundation does

The Law Enforcement Foundation (LEF), founded in 1987 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, is a non-profit organization that delivers professional leadership and certification training to Ohio law enforcement agencies and personnel. LEF operates three core programs: the Police Executive Leadership College (PELC, founded 1987), a three-week intensive program for chiefs and management-level staff with 2,773 cumulative graduates; the Certified Law Enforcement Executive (CLEE, founded 1996), a 14-month certification program with nine in-residence modules and 600+ graduates; and the Supervisor Training and Education Program (STEP, founded 2004), a 19-module program for newly promoted first-line supervisors with 978 graduates through 2024. The foundation also holds exclusive authorization in Ohio to train D.A.R.E. Officers for K-12 drug prevention education, and operates ancillary programs including Active Shooter (ALICE) Training, a Community Relations and Engagement Program, the annual Teen Summit (launched 2023), and the Pizzi Family Community Relations Grant.

The foundation's business model blends grant funding, fee-for-service tuition, and donations. The Ohio Department of Public Safety grant fully covers CLEE tuition, room, and board for Ohio law enforcement officers, removing price friction for the flagship program. PELC tuition is $2,725 per session and STEP tuition is $2,250 per participant, with out-of-state CLEE students paying reasonable tuition. Additional revenue comes from individual and corporate donations, Kroger Community Rewards passive giving, and partner contributions from organizations such as The Columbus Foundation, Huntington National Bank, Nationwide, Rumpke, and Encova. LEF distributes programs directly through in-person sessions at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy (Columbus), Embassy Suites Dublin, and Central Ohio hotels, with applications accepted via mail and email and fees processed through a PayPal-powered Payment Center. The organization is structurally intertwined with the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), sharing staff, leadership, and member-outreach channels, with CEO Donna Harrass serving as both LEF CEO and OACP Executive Director.

Name

Law Enforcement Foundation

Legal name

Law Enforcement Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://lef-oh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Law Enforcement Foundation is an Ohio-based non-profit that delivers professional leadership, executive certification, and supervisor training programs (PELC, CLEE, STEP, D.A.R.E.) to Ohio law enforcement agencies, funded by state grants, tuition, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Law Enforcement Training & Education Services

NAICS

Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (9221)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Law Enforcement & Police Academy Training (EDAOAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Defensive Tactics, Use-of-Force & De-escalation Training (EDAOAMAM), Security Supervisor/Management & Operations Training (BPAKAOAG), Crime Prevention & Community Policing Programs (EDALAEAG)

Keywords

• Law enforcement training
• Executive leadership development
• Police supervisor education
• Drug abuse prevention
• Community policing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Program Grants: Primary funding from the Ohio Department of Public Safety grant that covers tuition, room, and board for Ohio law enforcement officers attending CLEE program. This represents the core revenue mechanism for the flagship program.
2. Donations: Individual and corporate donations from supporters. Includes Kroger Community Rewards where a percentage of purchases by registered supporters is donated to LEF.
3. Program Fees: PELC tuition of $2,725 per session and STEP tuition of $2,250 per participant. These fees cover instruction, materials, breaks, and lunches. Out-of-state CLEE students pay reasonable tuition.
4. Community Relations Grants: LEF administers the Pizzi Family Law Enforcement Community Relations Grant, awarding $1,000 grants to agencies with sustainable community policing programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Law Enforcement Foundation is an Ohio-based nonprofit that delivers professional law enforcement training and education programs. Its core offerings are the Certified Law Enforcement Executive (CLEE) 14-month certification program for executives, the Police Executive Leadership College (PELC) three-week intensive for chiefs and management staff, the Supervisor Training and Education Program (STEP) for newly promoted first-line supervisors, and D.A.R.E. Ohio officer training for K-12 drug prevention. Programs are delivered via in-residence sessions at partner locations, supplemented by grants, community engagement programs, and active shooter preparedness training.

Product overview

The Law Enforcement Foundation offers a portfolio of professional law enforcement training and education programs that form a career development continuum. The core programs are: (1) STEP - a first-line supervisor training program for newly promoted officers; (2) PELC - an executive leadership college for police chiefs and management-level staff; and (3) CLEE - a 14-month certification program for executive-level officers. Supporting programs include D.A.R.E. officer training for K-12 drug prevention education, Active Shooter Training for civilian preparedness, the Community Relations and Engagement Program with its Sharing Ohio's Best recognition initiative and Teen Summit youth events, the Pizzi Family Grant for community policing projects, and the CLEE Capstone Archival Project for peer learning. All programs are administered through the organization's Dublin, Ohio office with instruction at partner locations including the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy and Embassy Suites Dublin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PELC: Police Executive Leadership College - three-week executive leadership training program for police chiefs, sheriffs, and management-level staff
• CLEE
• STEP
• D.A.R.E. Ohio

Products and services

• CLEE (Certified Law Enforcement Executive) A formal 14-month leadership certification program for law enforcement executives (sergeants and higher ranks) combining self-study with nine in-residence modules covering change management, ethics, strategic planning, and organizational risk management, culminating in a capstone presentation. For Ohio sworn law enforcement officers through grants; out-of-state tuition applies.
• PELC (Police Executive Leadership College) A three-week executive leadership training program spread over three months providing intensive leadership education for police chiefs, sheriffs, and management-level staff through modules on communication, ethics, conflict management, and community leadership. Over 2,773 graduates to date; tuition $2,725 per session.
• STEP (Supervisor Training and Education Program) A training program assisting newly promoted officers transitioning to first-line supervisor positions, covering 19 highly focused training modules including transition to supervisor skills, performance management, risk management, and officer wellness. Through 2024, 978 first-line supervisors have completed STEP at $2,250 per participant.
• D.A.R.E. Ohio Officer Training An internationally recognized K-12 drug abuse prevention program in which LEF is the only entity in Ohio authorized to train D.A.R.E. officers through an 80-hour intensive certification. D.A.R.E. provides students from kindergarten through high school with skills to recognize and resist pressures to experiment with drugs and avoid gangs and violence.
• Active Shooter Training (ALICE-based) Civilian preparedness training program using the ALICE protocol (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate). Empowers individuals to respond to violent intruder attacks through historical perspectives, threat recognition, survivability strategies, and practical drills.
• Teen Summit An annual youth engagement event launched in fall 2023 bringing high school students together with law enforcement and community leaders, featuring helicopter and drone demonstrations, K9 car searches, and breakout sessions to build positive connections between teens and police.
• Pizzi Family Law Enforcement Community Relations Grant A grant program offering two $1,000 awards annually to OACP member agencies for sustainable community policing programs that improve relationships between law enforcement and communities, with priorities in trust-building, communication, youth opportunities, and recruitment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 CLEE graduates since 1996
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEF works closely with OACP to deliver training programs and community engagement initiatives. OACP provides access to member agencies and executives. Joint programs include Teen Summit and Sharing Ohio's Best recognition program.
• Ohio State Highway Patrol AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for CLEE in-residence classes and Teen Summit events. Provides facilities for the flagship executive training program.
• Tiffin UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege credit partner for CLEE and PELC programs. Graduates can earn college credits toward further education.
• Franklin UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege credit partner for CLEE, PELC, and STEP programs. Provides academic pathway for training program graduates.
• University of CumberlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege credit partner for CLEE program offering academic credits for graduates.
• KrogerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKroger Community Rewards program allows customers to link their Plus card to LEF. A percentage of qualifying purchases is donated to LEF.
• Ohio School Resource Officers Association (OSROA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting school safety initiatives and Teen Summit programs.
• Bureau of Criminal InvestigationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeen Summit partner providing demonstrations and educational content for the annual youth-law enforcement engagement event.
• Ohio Department of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeen Summit partner supporting youth engagement and education initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northwestern University Center for Public Safety: Long-running police training and executive development program offered through Northwestern's School of Professional Studies. Comparable to LEF's STEP/CLEE as a multi-tier leadership training provider with strong academic branding and content library.
• D.A.R.E. America: National parent organization that grants LEF its exclusive Ohio training authorization. Directly comparable as the operator of the K-12 drug resistance curriculum LEF delivers; LEF is essentially the Ohio state-level licensee/operator of D.A.R.E.'s curriculum.
• Southern Police Institute (SPI) at University of Louisville: University-based executive development program for mid-career and senior law enforcement leaders. Comparable to LEF's PELC and CLEE programs in curriculum and audience, with the additional advantage of academic degree credit through the university partnership.
• Police Executive Research Forum (PERF): National membership organization providing research, management training, and executive leadership programs for police chiefs and senior leaders. Highly comparable to LEF's CLEE/PELC offerings, though PERF serves a national audience while LEF is Ohio-anchored.

Broad incumbents

• FBI National Academy (FBINA): Premier federal executive training program for U.S. and international law enforcement leaders, referenced multiple times in LEF graduate bios. Comparable as a high-prestige executive leadership pipeline; LEF alumni frequently complete both CLEE and FBINA, indicating overlapping but not identical positioning.
• Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC): U.S. federal law enforcement training organization delivering standardized training to federal officers. Comparable as a large-scale, government-affiliated provider of structured law enforcement training, though FLETC operates at federal level rather than serving municipal/state agencies.
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP): National professional association for police executives offering leadership training, conferences, and certifications. Comparable to LEF as an executive-level training provider, though IACP operates nationally while LEF is Ohio-focused; LEF's OACP affiliation mirrors the IACP relationship model at the state level.
• National Sheriffs' Association (NSA): National association providing training and certification for sheriffs and county law enforcement leaders. Comparable to LEF in serving executive law enforcement audiences with structured training programs, though at the national level and focused on sheriffs specifically.

Emerging players

• National Policing Institute: Research and training organization focused on advancing policing practices through evidence-based programs. Comparable to LEF's mission of professionalizing law enforcement leadership, though more research-oriented and less delivery-oriented than LEF's in-person leadership academies.

Regional players

• Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA): Ohio's state-level basic and continuing training authority for peace officers, housed within the Ohio Attorney General's office. Comparable to LEF as the foundational Ohio law enforcement training provider; LEF's leadership programs (STEP/PELC/CLEE) sit above OPOTA's basic certification in the career progression stack.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/law-enforcement-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Law Enforcement Foundation