The Mission of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) is to improve the operations of the criminal justice system and promote public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community. Thornton’s primary professional interest is in strategic enforcement policy and programs related to criminal justice reform. He received his formal education in Strategic Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Executive Education Program, in 1999 and 2000.
Chief Thornton’s responsibilities with the Sheriff’s Office include strategic operations and planning, fiscal oversight, and coordination of special programs. He has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 14 1/2 years. For six of those years, he has worked as an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice Program at Northwestern State University.
Prior to his current public service he spent 15 years as a Special Agent with the Department of Revenue, working criminal tax fraud investigations, followed by 5 ½ years as the Bureau Chief for the Criminal Division. He was credentialed as a certified fraud examiner in 1995.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree at the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1972; he then served six years as a combat infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps; he received his MBA while completing his M.A. from Yale University. Chief Thornton was also the Honor Graduate of the Louisiana State Police Academy and completed his federal enforcement training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, completing programs at the US Treasury Financial Fraud Institute. He is also a graduate of the FBI Command College and is a member of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.
