Challenging Yet Rewarding: Police Captain, Father of 4 Earns a Master’s
Anthony Leonard, a captain in the Cookeville Police Department, has spent more than
two decades working in law enforcement. And despite having a great deal of experience
in his field, the busy father of four wanted to challenge himself to do more and set
an example for his children.
He enrolled in Tennessee Tech University’s master of professional studies in public safety degree program — an experience he describes as both challenging and deeply rewarding.
“I learned that unlike that old saying, you actually can teach an old dog new tricks,” he said. “Even though I was already very knowledgeable about the topic, it was more from the day-to-day side. Having the degree gives you a better understanding of the entire situation, not just the hands-on experience on the street.”
Tennessee Tech’s interdisciplinary program gives public safety professionals the tools to manage and lead in their profession. The program covers risk assessment, disaster preparation and crisis response, research and the administration of law enforcement, homeland security, emergency management and public service systems.
The program is taught entirely online, which helped the working father of four children balance his full-time job, family, school and community volunteer work.
“When I started my bachelor's degree, I only had a couple kids,” he said. “Now I have
four, so it never gets easier at home, it never gets easier at work and it never gets
easier with age. But with online learning you can make your own schedule. You don’t
have to be in class at a certain time.”
For Leonard, that meant doing schoolwork after he put his younger kids to bed and making time on the weekends when it was convenient for his schedule.
“I was able to find the time through the week to focus on school,” he said.
It took Leonard six years to finish the degree. He paused in 2020 to focus on his work in law enforcement to manage both the pandemic and a devastating tornado that struck Cookeville. He appreciates the flexibility the program has offered, and he graduated with his master’s degree in December 2024.
Leonard’s classes taught him to understand the reason for the training that he and his colleagues use today and to anticipate new training in the future.
“Law enforcement agencies take training on active shooter response,” he said. “But getting the education behind it helps you understand how the pendulum changes from the old way to the current way and how things used to be done and how they’re done now. It helps you move forward and predict and see changes that are forthcoming because of the history and the things that you learn.”
The program also requires a professional project, taken as the final course in the program. Leonard did his professional project on mental health in law enforcement.
In addition to the coursework, Leonard values the connections he made from the program.
“You meet new people in the classes and create friendships and business relationships that are going to help you succeed over the rest of your career,” he said. “In my classes, I met students from Tennessee Wildlife and EMA. I have their contact information if I ever have questions about things that I've encountered. They have this abundance of knowledge, so I can reach out to them to get information.”
Leonard encourages anyone who is interested in pursuing a master’s degree to look into Tennessee Tech.
“It’s quite a challenge to get through your education, but it's rewarding to know you get a sense of accomplishment when you complete it,” he said. “It's a big step, and I would encourage anyone that's interested in law enforcement, or anyone that's interested in gaining a better understanding to do it. Tennessee Tech is a great place to learn.”
To learn more aboutTennessee Tech University’s master of professional studies in public safety degree program, visit tntech.edu.