Sergeant graduates Supervisory Leadership Institute

September 23, 2025

At the Supervisory Leadership Institute, from left, are DAI Director Gena Jones, North Kern State Prison Warden Kevin Hixon, Sgt. Micheal Moody, and POSED Deputy Director Gina Savala.

CDCR was given the opportunity to enroll correctional sergeants in the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SLI) from the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

CDCR Correctional Sgt. Micheal Moody, Field Training Sergeant (FTS) at North Kern State Prison, graduated cohort 550 on Sept. 17.

This is a proud moment for Sgt. Moody as well as CDCR.

“Sgt. Moody’s dedication and commitment to excellence as an FTS is truly commendable,” according to CDCR leaders. “This achievement reflects his hard work and the high standards we strive for in our training programs.”

What is the SLI course?

The SLI course is designed to enhance the leadership abilities of first-line supervisors in California law enforcement. SLI focuses on ethics, leadership, and serving others. The course consists of eight 24-hour sessions (192 hours) presented over eight months. SLI is intended for staff who have at least two years of full-time experience as a sergeant or lieutenant. They also must agree to remain in corrections/law enforcement for five years after graduation.

The Peace Officer Selection and Employee Development (POSED) team believes this training will equip emerging leaders with the essential skills to motivate, guide, and support their teams in a correctional setting. This training fosters a culture of accountability, improves decision-making, and enhances communication with the team. Overall, this leads to increased employee satisfaction and safety.

The course requires participants complete and present on an Adaptive Leadership Project and read a multitude of books.

Their reading list includes:

Man’s Search for Meaning
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership
Ten Golden Rules of Leadership
Emotional Survival
Leadership and Self-Deception
Tough Choices
Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Blink
Outliers
and Leading with Character.

Session six includes one full day at the Museum of Tolerance, with training presented by museum staff. This is coupled with a short tour of the museum.

“By investing in leadership development, we can ensure CDCR remains adaptable and promotes a culture of safety, respect, and accountability,” according to POSED. “We would like to congratulate Sgt. Moody on his graduation. We look forward to three other sergeants enrolled in future cohorts.”

Submitted by POSED

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