Now’s the Time to Begin the Conversation

David Couper

BookCoverImage-1HOW TO BEGIN THE NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION about community-oriented policing, race, use of force, and leadership.

For Community Leaders:.

  1. Order How to Rate Your Local Police
  2. Read it and give a copy to your police chief.
  3. Tell him/her you want to have a conversation about how the police department measures up.
  4. Have a meeting with police and community members.
  5. At the meeting reinforce the good things that are being done, ask for improvement on the others.
  6. Follow up as to what action has or is being taken.

For Police Leaders:

  1. Order How to Rate Your Local Police
  2. Read it and provide copies to leaders in your community.
  3. Tell them you want to have a conversation about how the department measures up.
  4. Hold a meeting, listen and respond. Use the checklist to determine what needs to be done.
  5. Schedule of follow-up meeting in which you will report back on your accomplishments.
Unknown's avatar

Published by David Couper

I served over 20 years as the chief of police in Madison (WI), four years as chief of the Burnsville (MN) Police Department, and before that as a police officer in Edina (MN) and the City of Minneapolis. I hold graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota and Edgewood College in Madison. I have written many articles over my years as a police leader. After retiring from the police department, I answered a call to ministry, attended seminary, and was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church. After almost 30 years serving in and leading two Episcopal Churches in the Diocese of Milwaukee, I am "sort-of" in the process of retirement. Life is good.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.