JACKSONVILLE, AL — Jacksonville Police Chief Marcus Wood is among 35 public safety professionals selected to participate in this year’s Alabama Public Safety Leadership Academy.
The nine-month program, offered through the Alabama Fire College, is designed to strengthen management, leadership and strategic skills among public safety professionals across the state.
Admission to the academy is competitive, with applicants evaluated through a point-based selection process. This year’s class includes leaders from law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, emergency management and other areas of public safety.
Wood attended the program’s first session in Tuscaloosa in early September. Additional sessions are scheduled in communities across Alabama through the spring.
Wood, who served as president of the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police in 2024-25, said one benefit of the academy is the opportunity to develop relationships with leaders from different public safety disciplines before those connections are needed during an emergency.
“Jacksonville went through a serious natural disaster in 2018,” Wood said, referring to the tornado that struck Jacksonville and the Jacksonville State University campus. “It’s not the time, when that’s happening, to start building relationships; you want to do that well beforehand. We’ll build those relationships over the next nine months.”
The academy’s curriculum covers topics including ethics, human resources, organizational culture and budgeting. The multidisciplinary approach is intended to give participants a broader understanding of the responsibilities and challenges faced by different public safety agencies.
“Leaders shouldn’t let their training get stale,” Wood said.
Jacksonville Mayor Mark Jones also commented on Wood’s selection and continued professional development.
“Chief Wood has been key in making our community safe by making proactive choices,” Jones said. “We appreciate the effort he gives to his work, his officers and the residents of Jacksonville every day.”
The Alabama Public Safety Leadership Academy will continue meeting over the next several months, with the program scheduled to conclude in the spring.
