Lonnie Bishop
May 23, 2023–A veteran of the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department will lead Missouri Western State University’s Law Enforcement Academy. Lonnie Bishop will begin his duties as commander of the LEA on June 16.
“The Law Enforcement Academy is an important way that we serve the region, training the people who keep our communities safe, so finding the right person to serve as commander is vital,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, Missouri Western’s president. “Lonnie Bishop’s extensive experience in law enforcement and training as well as his demonstrated leadership abilities will serve our cadets and our community well.”
“My goal is to implement three core values at the Academy: compassion, integrity and knowledge,” Bishop said. “I am most excited about working with the cadets and using my prior experiences to continue to grow the Academy.”
Bishop has been an investigator with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department since 2014, and has served as a part-time instructor in the Law Enforcement Academy since 2021. He retired as a captain in the U.S. Air Force after a combined 20 years of service in the Air Force and U.S. Navy. He has Bachelor of Information Science and Master of Information Science Management degrees from the University of Phoenix.
Missouri Western’s Law Enforcement Academy prepares cadets to become commissioned law enforcement officers. The academy is certified by the Missouri Department of Public Safety Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission and graduates are eligible for a POST certificate. Degree-seeking Missouri Western students can also earn college credit toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
The next class starts Monday, July 10. Applications are currently being accepted. For more information, visit missouriwestern.edu/academy.
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.