Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announced the State and Provincial Police Academy Directors has named MSHP Sergeant Aaron K. Griffin as its Instructor of the Year for 2021.

According to a release, nominations for this award come from police academies throughout the United States and Canada. SPPADS is a section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Nominees for the SPPADS Instructor of the Year are evaluated in four areas – Research and development of curriculum, excellence in facilitation, commitment to improving self-learning and learning within the policing profession and program innovation and/or implementation.

Officials say Sergeant Griffin has a natural ability regarding facilitating and instructing training courses and has proven to be an exceptionally forward-thinking, innovative instructor. His extensive research of emerging trends and best practices, and application of new and innovative ideas, led to the development of “Armed Encounters & High-Risk Traffic Stops” and “Active Threat Response” training. Additionally, Sergeant Griffin has proposed a redesign of the Highway Patrol’s Physical Fitness Standards program.

In addition to mandatory certifications, Sergeant Griffin reads subject matter publications, seeks out and attends additional schools/classes in his instructional areas, and maintains contacts throughout the nationwide police community to obtain the newest information and best practices available.

Griffin has served as an instructor at the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy since 2016.