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White Hall Police Chief Alvetta Coates recently completed training that will enhance her ability to serve the people of her community. 

Kaleb Littlejohn, director of the Center for Best Practices in Law Enforcement at

Jacksonville State University and UPACE Partner announced Coates’s achievement in a recent media release. 

“On behalf of the University Partnership for Alabama Continuing Education, and the Alabama Association of Police Chiefs, I take great pleasure in announcing that Chief Alvetta Coates of the White Hall Police Department has successfully completed the first forty hours of the Certified Law Enforcement Executive Program,” Littlejohn said. 

Coates received this recognition for her training on Aug. 3 at the annual Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in Orange Beach.

“Attending the Chief’s conferences helps a department head learn how to deal better with citizens and the department,” Coates said. “When a citizen calls for assistance from law enforcement, they want something done above and beyond an incident report. They want to talk to the Chief of Police.”

The program consists of specialized, executive-level training for law enforcement administrators and is jointly administered by the University Partnership and the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police (UPACE). 

“This is a mark of success for Chief Coates as well as for the Town of White Hall for its support of the advancement of law enforcement management principles,” Littlejohn said.

Courses available through the program include Managing for Effectiveness, Dealing Effectively with the External Environment, Effective Management and Supervisory Techniques for the Police Executive, Strategic Planning for Your Department, Generational Differences and Assessments.

Coates said her training helps her deal with situations in a competent, compassionate manner.

“You have to show compassion and patience and have a plan to fix [citizens’] problems,,” Coates said. “Every training that we attend helps build our confidence and knowledge on how to help no matter how large or small their situation is.”

The UPACE Partnership is made up of Jacksonville State University, the University of North Alabama and Troy University Dothan. 

The partnership works to make continuing education programs available for agencies and associations across the state.