In June of 2016, Joe Collins was selected as the Executive Director, Office of Accreditation (OA), for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) Board. Mr. Collins is responsible for managing the FLETA Office of Accreditation on behalf of the Board, leading day-to-day operations, overseeing the FLETA budget, and serving as the Secretary on the Board. Mr. Collins brings extensive law enforcement, training, and accreditation experience to the FLETA process.
Mr. Collins began his law enforcement career in 1986 in the U.S. Army Military Police Corp. He was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany as a Protective Services Agent handling dignitary protection for commanding Generals, and visiting dignitaries. He was also an undercover drug investigator throughout Europe.
In 1992, Mr. Collins joined the Kissimmee Police Department in Florida. While at the Kissimmee Police Department, he worked in numerous areas, which included Patrol, Undercover Narcotics Task Force, as well as the Detective/Investigations Division, Violent Crimes Unit. He was also a member of the Hostage Negotiations/Crisis Intervention team. As a Sergeant, Mr. Collins led the Homicide/Violent Crimes detective division. He received the award for Investigator of the Year in 1995. He also served as an adjunct instructor at the Osceola County Criminal Justice Academy in Kissimmee, and was appointed as Training Coordinator for the department.
Mr. Collins moved to the Denver, Colorado area in 1999 and worked as the Law Enforcement Trainer/Division Director of Sales for a multi-media use of force judgmental simulator company. Mr. Collins has extensive knowledge of simulation training and has spoken both nationally and internationally on the subject. He has been published in police periodicals and has been featured in numerous multi-media interviews on simulation training.
In 2002, Mr. Collins joined the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and was assigned to the Training Academy staff in Glynco, Georgia. He was transferred to Artesia, New Mexico as the Acting Assistant Director for TSA Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) Training Academy and was Branch Chief, TSA-FFDO Simulations. While with TSA, Mr. Collins helped establish the FFDO Program and received a DHS-TSA Service Appreciation Award for contributions to the design and implementation of the program.
In December 2003, Mr. Collins joined the staff of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) in Artesia, New Mexico where he served as a Program Specialist overseeing the FFDO Program and Federal Air Marshal Basic Training.
Mr. Collins transferred to the FLETC Office of State and Local Programs in 2004 in Glynco, Georgia, where he ran the First Responder Training Program and Incident Command Training Program.
In 2006, Mr. Collins became a Program Manager for the FLETA, Office of Accreditation. He managed, coordinated, provided consultation, and facilitated federal law enforcement agencies through the federal law enforcement accreditation requirements.
In March of 2008, Mr. Collins joined the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) serving as the Agency Representative to the FLETC in Glynco, GA. Mr. Collins served in this multi-faceted position as the senior on-site Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) representative/liaison to the FLETC. He mentored, counseled, and supervised basic PFPA recruits as they attend training at FLETC, Glynco.
In June of 2012, Mr. Collins rejoined the FLETC as a Program Manager for Accreditation in the Inspection and Compliance Division. He supported the planning and directing of the accreditation process for all FLETC training facilities and programs. He reviewed, interpreted, and applied the FLETA standards consistent with the guidance and direction provided by the FLETA Board and OA.
Mr. Collins holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree from Troy University and graduated summa cum laude.