CAPE GIRARDEAU - Carl Kinnison of Cape Girardeau, former Cape Girardeau Chief of Police, has been named director of the Law Enforcement Academy at Southeast Missouri State University.

His appointment was effective Aug. 1. In addition to serving as the director of the Law Enforcement Academy, Kinnison will teach classes as a faculty member in the Department of Criminal Justice & Sociology.

He replaces Dr. Michael Brown who has announced his retirement as director of the Law Enforcement Academy after 25 years of service to the University. During that time, the Academy trained more than 2,000 men and women in basic law enforcement procedures with graduates serving in police and sheriff departments throughout the University service area and nation.

“The Law Enforcement Academy has flourished under the leadership of Dr. Brown. The University appreciates his commitment to the Academy, University and students,” said Dr. Ron Rosati, Southeast provost. “We look forward to Mr. Kinnison’s contribution to continuing to implement the service mission of the Academy.”

The Law Enforcement Academy at Southeast Missouri State University is dedicated to meeting the training needs of all law enforcement officers and agencies in the University service area. The Academy is located at 122 S. Ellis in Cape Girardeau.

Kinnison holds a master’s degree in the administration of justice from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University with minors in psychology and sociology; and a certificate of completion from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Training Academy in Quantico, Va.

Kinnison has more than 33 years of law enforcement experience. He retired as Cape Girardeau Chief of Police July 31, after serving in that capacity for nearly seven years. He previously served as the department’s public information officer for 15 years along with roles as captain of operations and assistant chief, patrolman, sergeant and lieutenant.

He has been a part-time instructor of criminal justice courses at the University for more than 15 years and has taught a variety of classes for the SEMO Regional Law Enforcement Academy for more than 20 years. He also has taught a senior level criminal justice management class at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

He was appointed by former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt in 2007 to a four-year term on the Police Officer Standards and Training Commission and he served a two-year term as president of Southeast Missouri State University’s College of Health and Human Services Advisory Board. He has served as chairman of the Cape Girardeau County/Bollinger County Major Case Squad, regional vice president of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association and a member of the board of directors of both the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force and the Regional Homeland Security Oversight Committee. He has been a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the FBI National Academy Associates.

Kinnison has received several honors throughout his career, including the Leadership and Community Commitment Award presented by VFW Post 3838; the Award of Excellence presented by the National Department of Transportation for work with the Cape Girardeau Safe Communities Program; the City of Cape Girardeau Municipal Employee of the Year; the Cape Girardeau Police Department Employee of the Year; the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Criminal Justice Outstanding Alumnus; Police Officer of the Year presented by Cape Girardeau Jaycees; and a Special Recognition of Service Award from the Missouri Department of Public Safety for assisting in the development and implementation of the Cape Girardeau Comprehensive Community Wide Seat Belt Program.