MIKE ZEGADLO
MIKE ZEGADLO
SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
ABOUT MIKE ZEGADLO
Mike Zegadlo grew up on the south side of Chicago and, before entering law enforcement, served in higher education as a student affairs administrator, including roles as director and assistant dean.
He began his law enforcement career in Illinois’ third-largest city, serving as a park district police officer before joining the municipal police department. Drawing on his background in education, he became a highly effective police trainer specializing in use of force. Mike has held positions as a patrol officer, training officer, patrol sergeant, and deputy chief prior to becoming a chief.
In 2011, Mike co-founded the Lewis University Police Department, where he served for 15 years, including six years as chief of police. He currently serves as Director of the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA) housed in the Robert J. Miller Homeland Security Education Center at the College of DuPage, overseeing police academy training for hundreds of recruit officers annually.
Mike continues to provide training to public and private partners throughout the US on critical topics such as violence prevention, behavioral threat assessment, active shooter survival, de-escalation and use of force. His published articles have appeared in Journeys to Purpose: The Discover Stories Project (Volume 2), Command Magazine, Campus Safety Magazine, PoliceOne.com and The Talking Stick.
EDUCATION
Mike has a bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s degree in organizational leadership and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.