Recipe for Improvement: Three Giant Steps

Let’s cut to the chase! Our nation’s police will never improve until the following factors are in play —

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

TENURE (job security)

ACCOUNTABILITY.

Servant Leadership is helping others to grow. It is dependent upon the practitioner having strong Emotional Intelligence.

Tenure means job security; security from the wims of partisan politics. It also means having an employment contract. In order for lasting and meaningful change to occur within a police agency the leader needs to be there for at least a period of six to eight years.

Accountability means the practice of Community-Oriented Policing and a police organization committed to being guardians — not warriors and becoming partners with community leaders. And to remember hose most in need of guardians are those who are most vulnerable in our society.

_____________________________________

That’s my prescription for modern policing. Policing is best carried out in a free society by men and women who are highly educated, professionally competent, emotionally stable, respectful to others, and led by mature leaders (which is consistent with my description of Quality Leadership).

Achievable? Yes. And in the meantime, aspirational! Officers, aspire to the greatness of which you are capable!

In the meantime, read my book. See how police improvement was once accomplished. Know your history.

And while you are at it, take a look at How to Rate Your Local Police. It’s now a classic! (The first edition came out of the early 80s.)