Dr. Neil Harper
Teaching Fellow (Criminal Justice) - Retired ATF Senior Special Agent
EmailDirect Office Phone: 423-775-7170
Field of Study: Criminal Justice
Office: Criminal Justice Department
Academic Degrees
- Ph.D., Leadership with Criminal Justice (Candidate), University of the Cumberlands, 2024
- D.Min., Ministry Leadership, Liberty University, Rawlings School of Divinity, 2021
- Th.M., Practical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2021
- M.S., Explosives Technology, Missouri University of Science & Technology, 2019
- M.Div., Christian Ministries, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016
- MPA, Criminal Justice, City University, 1999
- Graduate Certificate in Forensic Arson & Explosives Investigations (with a focus on Forensic Psychology), Oklahoma State University, 2018
Biography
Dr. Neil Harper teaches criminal justice courses on-campus as a Teaching Fellow. His area of interest includes preparing current and future law enforcement officers for engagement in the public square from a Christian worldview. Dr. Harper is also passionate about raising future leaders and enjoys teaching courses on leadership, justice administration, law enforcement, criminal investigations, and ethics in the criminal justice system.
As a former deputy sheriff, police officer, investigator, military police officer, ATF Special Agent, and ministry leader, Dr. Harper brings significant real-world experiences to the classroom, enhancing student learning and understanding of the criminal justice system at all levels. Those experiences and related case studies include discussion and various active learning assignments. Dr. Harper retired as an ATF Senior Special Agent in 2019 and a U.S. Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel in 2016. He and his wife of 30 years reside in Cleveland, Tennessee, with their two children.
After retiring from ATF, Dr. Harper served in full-time ministry as an Assistant Pastor for Educational Ministries and then as the President & CEO for Leadership Ministries Worldwide (LMW) in Chattanooga, where he continues to volunteer in an advisory role for ministry partnerships. Dr. Harper also remains engaged with the Executive Office of the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers in Chattanooga and is at work on a video training series in conjunction with LMW related to Christian discipleship for police officers.
Dr. Harper is also on-staff at Westwood Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tennessee, as a volunteer Assistant Pastor for External Ministries, and his wife serves as the Preschool Director.
Publications, Research, & Editing
- In-progress research. Leadership Practices of Criminal Justice Instructors in Higher Education: The Collegiate Teacher-Leader as a Role Model.
- In-progress research. An Assessment of the Moral Reasoning Development of Undergraduate Criminal Justice Students at a Christian Institution of Higher Education.
Conference & Workshop Presentations
- Panel speaker. (2021). Policing in the pandemic: Faith and law enforcement. Criminal Justice Symposium at Lee University.
- Keynote speaker. (2019). Crime gun intelligence and the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network. Tennessee Association of Law Enforcement Analysts (TALEA) Annual Conference.