Chief Jon Fehlman
A career law enforcement leader serving since 1984, from patrol through chief of police. He founded Thatcher Lewis in 2015 and still teaches every flagship engagement personally.
Standards taught by someone who had to live them.
Chief Fehlman's law enforcement career began in 1984. He rose from patrol through supervision and command-staff service to chief of police, carrying responsibility for discipline, culture, and accountability at every level of an agency. Along the way he earned the James Q. Wilson Award for community policing and the Medal of Valor for bravery.
What he also saw along the way was the gap: agencies promote their best practitioners into leadership and then leave them to figure out supervision on their own. The result is inconsistency, and inconsistency is where trust, morale, and defensibility break down. Thatcher Lewis exists to close that gap with training that turns standards into daily habits.
He founded the firm in 2015 and has kept one rule since: the person teaching your leaders must have carried the responsibility your leaders carry. That is why he teaches every flagship engagement personally, aligned to your general orders and policies, on-site, live online, or hybrid.
- Serving since
- 1984
- Firm founded
- 2015
- Final sworn rank
- Chief of Police
- Teaches
- Every flagship course
Service record, 1984 to today
Career begins
1984
Enters law enforcement and learns the job where it is hardest, on patrol.Through the ranks
Ranks
Rises from exceptional street cop through supervision and command-staff service.Chief of Police
Chief
Leads as chief, owning discipline, culture, and accountability for an entire agency.Founds Thatcher Lewis
2015
Builds the firm to close the leadership accountability gap he saw across public safety.Teaches personally
Today
Leads every flagship engagement himself: on-site, live online, or hybrid, nationwide.
The courses Chief Fehlman leads himself.
Training Tomorrow's Leaders Today
An intensive, scenario-based program for current and aspiring first-line supervisors: sergeants, FTOs, future sergeants, company officers, EMS crew leads, and civilian supervisors.
Executive Leadership Growth
Advanced strategic training for command staff and agency executives: crisis leadership, policy alignment, early intervention, and ethical decision-making.
Named leaders, on the record.
“I have known Jon for close to forty years. He has risen through the ranks from being an exceptional street cop to a great police chief. I highly recommend Jon to any law enforcement executive looking to either identify the best candidate for an upcoming vacancy or to give an honest, professional, and unbiased deep dive into the climate of your department.”
Thomas JonesDeputy Police Chief (Retired), Provost Marshal's Office, Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base“The Evanston Police Department recently completed a two-week leadership training program facilitated by Thatcher Lewis, and I am pleased to share my highest recommendation. The expertise and professionalism demonstrated by Thatcher Lewis, LLC made a meaningful impact on our department, strengthening our leadership team and enhancing our service to the community.”
Schenita StewartChief of Police, Evanston, Illinois
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About this page
Every statement on this page is drawn from owner records and the published course catalog: dates of service, awards, and the courses Chief Fehlman teaches. Statistics we have not yet independently documented are intentionally not shown anywhere on this site. Media placements are classified on the press page. Last verified 2026-07-18. To request source records, contact us.