Guardian Leadership

We're excited to share that Guardian Leadership Founder & CEO Frank A. Trammer will be serving as a Conference Keynote Speaker at the 2026 Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference in Estes Park, Colorado.

Across the country, agencies are facing significant recruitment, retention, and staffing challenges. As organizations work to fill vacancies and prepare the next generation of leaders, one question continues to emerge:

What happens when promotion outpaces preparation?

Frank's keynote, Promoted Too Soon, Prepared Too Late, will explore how leadership readiness impacts organizational culture, workforce stability, employee retention, and long-term success.

At Guardian Leadership, we are passionate about helping organizations develop leaders before they receive the rank—not after they inherit the responsibility.

Thank you to the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police for the opportunity to be part of this important conversation. We look forward to connecting with leaders from across Colorado and discussing practical strategies for developing strong leaders, strong teams, and strong organizations.

Thank you to all of the leaders who continue investing in their people and shaping the future of our profession.

Day 1 in Carrollton is underway.

Before the room filled this morning, there was a moment to step back and think about what this time represents.

Over the next two days, we’re focused on building the foundation of leadership—starting with how we lead ourselves.

Appreciate the opportunity to invest time with this group.

"What has become more clear to you since we last met?"

That was the question posed to the speakers at this year's International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association Emerson Hour. For our own Frank Trammer, the answer came down to a single distinction: Success vs. Significance.

It’s a powerful 9-minute reflection for anyone in a leadership role. Watch the full talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtuXCE_LPkQ

ILEETA 2 likes. "Frank Trammer | Emerson Hour 2026"

Last week was a full one—in the best way 👏

We kicked off Course 2 of our Guardian’s Ascent Leadership Development Program with back-to-back classes at the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus State University Police, with over 50 leaders across both cohorts choosing to invest in their own development.

It’s always great to see that level of commitment from leaders who are taking the time to grow and prepare for what’s next.

Our Senior Instructor, Dr. John Robison, Assistant City Administrator for the City of Alpharetta, co-led the Paulding County session, his experience and perspective always add value in the room.

We appreciate the support from leadership at both locations. When leaders show up and stay engaged in the process, it sets the tone and reinforces that leadership development matters.

Great groups in both locations—looking forward to seeing how these leaders continue to grow through the program.

Savannah brought a great group together this week 👏

We recently wrapped up our Leading Self course with over 40 law enforcement professionals from across the region—and this class stood out.

Most of the attendees weren’t in formal leadership roles yet.

That’s not always the norm, but it’s exactly what makes a difference—investing in people early and building a strong foundation before promotion.

The Savannah Police Department and Chatham Police Department made that investment, and it showed throughout the week.

A big congratulations to five leaders who completed our previous Guardian’s Path program. As we transitioned into Guardian’s Ascent, we created a pathway for them to finish what they started:

👏 Major Brian Hood (Garden City Police Department)
👏 Captain Joseph Papp (Garden City Police Department)
👏 Captain Lindsey Talley (Garden City Police Department)
👏 Corporal Corey Barella (Pooler Police Department)
👏 Officer Amber Smith (Savannah Police Department)

And then there was Frankie… 🐶

A small dachshund visiting the training center who quickly became the most anticipated part of every break. It didn’t take long before everyone was looking forward to a few minutes with her between sessions.

We appreciate the partnership across agencies—and the intentional investment in developing leaders early.

What a great week at the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police Conference 👏

Guardian Leadership was proud to be there as a partner, connecting with law enforcement leaders from across the state and having insightful conversations about leadership development and the real challenges agencies are navigating.

One of the best parts of the week was also many highlights of attending these conferences is getting to reconnect with friends and colleagues we don’t see often.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and spent time with us—we truly appreciate the conversations interactions or engagements or exchanges and support.

Our CEO, Frank Trammer, will be presenting at the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police Conference this week and having the opportunity to speak on an issue that I believe is impacting agencies across the country.

Too often, we promote great officers into leadership roles—but we don’t always prepare them for what leadership truly requires.

The result?
Struggles with retention.
Inconsistent performance.
And cultures that fall short of what they could be.

His session, “Promoted Too Soon, Prepared Too Late: The Leadership Crisis Impacting Retention, Performance, and Culture,” is focused on how we can do better—by being more intentional in how we develop, equip, and support our leaders before and after promotion.

If you’re attending, We’d love for you to join us and be part of the conversation.

📅 Wednesday, April 8
🕛 Noon
📍 Salon 1 & 2

Looking forward to connecting with many of you there.

What an incredible group 👏

Recently, we had the opportunity to lead our Leading Self class with the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia—Part 1 of 4 in the Guardian’s Ascent program—and the room was full. Nearly 50 leaders from across the public safety and justice system came together with one goal: to grow.

Prosecutors, investigators, advocates, and support staff all investing in becoming better leaders.

The conversations were real. The engagement was strong. And the commitment to growth was clear.

You can tell a lot about an organization by its culture—and Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia has built something special. There’s a genuine spirit of service and support throughout their team.

A big thank you to Sallie Nowell for taking such great care of us and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

We’re already looking forward to returning in June for Part 2, continuing the journey with this incredible group!

Last week we kicked off Session One of The Guardian's Ascent Leadership Development Program with a great group in Lawrenceville — and what a start it was.

We focused on a simple but powerful idea: leadership starts with how you lead yourself.

The group was highly engaged—participants reflected, had honest conversations, and really thought about how they show up as leaders each day.

We explored two key principles:
• It’s all about you
• It’s not about you

Taking ownership of your actions while also serving others is where leadership truly comes together.

A big thank you to Chief John Mullin for the opportunity to work with his team at the Lawrenceville Police Department. We’re grateful for the leaders we get to invest in and the conversations that help grow leadership in meaningful ways.