91直播

Robert 鈥淭erry鈥� Leonard鈥檚 career in law enforcement has spanned more than two decades in various capacities, from a 911 dispatcher to a criminal investigator. The knowledge he gained from earning a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Business and Management in 2015 has contributed to advancements in his work, and his passion for his career is evident each day he is on the job.

Leonard is one of six state criminal investigators with the headquartered in Helena, Montana. He began his career as a 911 dispatcher with a county sheriff/police department communications center, eventually becoming a deputy. He then became a detective and worked for a High Intensity Drug Traffic unit where he became a DEA task force officer. He recalls, 鈥淣arcotics work is very hard on the family with long and irregular hours. I loved it, but when the state investigator position was offered, we decided as a family it was really the best move all around.鈥�

Now, Leonard spends 60 percent of his work days in the office and 40 percent of them in the field where he could be doing anything from conducting interviews and coordinating operations to obtaining warrants and subpoenas. He notes that conducting a criminal investigation is time consuming and that, 鈥渞ushing an investigation can lead to any number of mistakes,鈥� so it鈥檚 important to pay attention to the details.

Leonard says to succeed in his line of work, it鈥檚 important to be a self-starter and to have empathy. He notes that 鈥渃ases don鈥檛 just solve themselves;鈥� you have to track down even the most minuscule lead even when the case doesn鈥檛 seem to be going anywhere. He also says that empathy goes a long way during an interview: 鈥淏eing able to get inside the person鈥檚 mind and really try to understand 鈥榳hy鈥� from their point of view is really helpful.鈥� He adds that just being nice is some of the best advice he鈥檚 ever received; sometimes if you are nice to a person in an interview, you can end up uncovering small details that can lead to solving the case.

When Leonard came to , he was able to transfer prior military and coursework credit from the University of Florida toward his bachelor鈥檚 degree. He says it might seem like his degree doesn鈥檛 fit into his line of work, but that couldn鈥檛 be farther from the truth. 鈥淭he project management courses I took at Excelsior are my baseline for setting up how I am going to run a major case,鈥� he says. He adds that knowledge of finances is also helpful since the No. 1 rule when running a major criminal enterprise investigation is to follow the money. He says, 鈥淭hose accounting courses I took really help me when analyzing financials and trying to determine the flow of cash and assets in a criminal network.鈥�

While he credits some Excelsior courses with help in his career, he thanks his wife for helping him get through his courses. He says it is already stressful enough to be a parent and to hold down a full-time job, but going back to school adds another layer. 鈥淢y wife was really supportive on my limited off-time while I completed my Excelsior coursework鈥�I could not have done it without her support.鈥�

Leonard has come far in his more than 20 years as a law enforcement officer. He has been able to advance in his career thanks to hard work, dedication, and pursuing his higher education. He has advice for others, however: when it comes to being successful in his career he mentions the importance of sustained performance. He says, 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just make a couple of cases and then sit back on your laurels. Being dedicated and passionate about my career field helped as well.鈥�

Industry Notes From Robert Leonard鈥�

Best book/podcast/e-newsletter that鈥檚 relevant to your industry?

鈥溾�楽worn鈥� podcast is awesome, especially for detectives and investigators. The National Tactical Officer鈥檚 Association magazine is also a great resource.鈥�

What time management tips do you have for current students juggling activities outside their Excelsior studies?

鈥淪et a schedule and make it a routine. Be flexible, but have that routine in place. Keep your eyes on the prize and stay dedicated. Everything else will fall into place.鈥�

What networking tips would you give to current Excelsior students?

鈥淭here is no better asset than a good network. Here鈥檚 my advice to establishing a good network: never turn down the opportunity to help someone in your job field. Do anything you can to help a colleague obtain their objective and that will pay itself off 10 times down the road. I wouldn鈥檛 be where I am today without an awesome network of colleagues that know they can count on me and are always there when I need them.”