Law Enforcement Management: What Works and What Doesn't PDF

LAW ENFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT What Works and What Doesn’t! Michael Carpenter and Roger Fulton Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION This book has been designed as a guide for la...

LAW ENFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT What Works and What Doesn’t! Michael Carpenter and Roger Fulton Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION This book has been designed as a guide for law enforcement personnel who are upwardly mobile and want to become good supervisors, managers, and leaders in their chosen profession. That career path can be challenging, but we hope that this book makes it a little easier for you. Chapter 2 starts with “Getting Ready,” which helps you prepare for a promotion. As Abraham Lincoln once said: I will prepare and my time will come. Chapter 3 assumes that you did prepare and you got promoted to a supervisory position in your department. Good job! But now what? We explore the challenges that await you. Chapters 4 through 7 help you cope with the daily demands of being a law enforcement supervisor or manager. Chapter 8 covers some of the problems and pitfalls you may encounter in dealing with personnel problems. Chapter 9, “Leading the Way,” provides advice for true success in your career. Read it and heed it! It will be of great value to you throughout your entire career. Chapter 10, “Job Security,” should help you avoid some of the career-ending pitfalls inherent in your job. We realize that at some point you will retire (hopefully on your own terms!). We want you to appreciate the fact that there is life after you retire, and we want you to be aware of, and plan ahead for, that major step in your life. Thus, Chapter 11, “Your Future,” provides some tips for that stage of your career. Although there is much more you can do and learn for a successful career in law enforcement, we have presented what we can to help you build a successful career. The rest is up to you to follow our advice and add your own experiences to it. Chapter 2 GETTING READY Section 1 — Understanding Your Organization In law enforcement, we all have fairly well-defined duties and responsibilities that are set out by our titles and positions within the department.  In order to be truly successful at any rank, you must know not only your own job, but also how the other components contribute to the overall success of the organization. o This allows you to concentrate on your own duties, while referring other duties to those who specialize in them, and perform them better. Upper-level management are commissioners, chiefs, and superintendents o They are responsible for ensuring that the department fulfills its overall mission of maintaining order and controlling criminal activity. o Duties include obtaining the resources (money, staff, and equipment) that allow everyone else in the department to perform their jobs effectively. Mid-level managers, generally lieutenants and captains, are most often responsible for the planning and coordination activities of the department. o They set medium-term goals and objectives and ensure that those goals and objectives are reached by their respective divisions. Line-level supervisors (corporals and sergeants) are responsible for the day-to-day implementation of policies and procedures by patrol officers and detectives. o The activities they oversee (patrol, call response, investigation, apprehension of offenders, etc.) are the individual activities that, when taken collectively, add up to the successful performance of the department. In addition to these main categories, there are other people who contribute to the success of the organization, including staff and support personnel.  These groups include specialists, as well as other employees who do their part to make the department run smoothly.  Number of support personnel depends on the size of the department, and special duties assigned to the department. Most departments couldn’t run effectively without these personnel. each individual component in the department, are segments that are interdependent.   Line personnel must have the resources to succeed, as much as senior management must rely on all of the various components to perform their jobs adequately.  staff and support positions tend to make everyone’s life a little easier. Knowing what everyone in the organization does, and how they interact, can help you to understand the organization as a whole. You will also be able to clearly see what is expected from you, as well as what you should expect from others. Understanding your organization won’t solve all of your day-to-day problems, but it certainly is a good start. Section 2 — Do You Know Your Policies? One of your department’s patrols is attempting to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation, but it refuses to pull over. They are going only 30 miles per hour, but when a second patrol car gets in front of the violator, the violator rams the back of the patrol car and turns down a side street to escape. Everyone needs to know the departmental policies that cover the supervisor’s actions, and the actions of the patrol officers ahead of time – before it is too late. Too many officers and supervisors are unfamiliar with their own department’s policies, many of which directly involve the use of force. Here’s a quick list of questions a good supervisor should be able to answer regarding the policies and procedures of their department. Pursuit Can patrols pursue for a traffic violation? A misdemeanor? A felony? Or do you have a “no pursuit” policy? If so, what else can they do? Are there speed restrictions on pursuits? What are they? What does a supervisor do during a pursuit? Is the number of cars limited by policy? What about other departments’ cars involved in the pursuit? Who is in charge of them? Who is ultimately responsible for the pursuit and any consequences of it? Use of Deadly Force What if the occupants of the vehicle shoot at the police patrols? Are there restrictions on shooting at, or from, a moving vehicle? Can the patrols use warning shots? Is departmental policy different from the statutory justification law? How? Does the level of crime involved make a difference in what can be done? What about third parties whose lives are in danger? Can a baton blow constitute deadly physical force? What about a blow from a flashlight? What are a supervisor’s duties if deadly force is used by an officer? Forcible Stopping of Vehicles What is legal intervention? Is there authority for it? Where? Can your patrols ram a car? Under what circumstances? Does that constitute the use of deadly force?  Can you set up a roadblock? Moving roadblocks? Fixed roadblocks? What about “Spike Strips?” Are roadblocks deadly force? Can you shoot out tires? Gas tanks? Will either do any good? Who is ultimately responsible for the forcible stopping of a vehicle and any consequences? If you can answer every one of these questions without hesitation, then feel secure that you can handle the opening scenario as an officer or as a supervisor with confidence. Does every officer and every supervisor in your department know the answers to every one of these questions? Otherwise, you may want to call off the pursuit until everyone in the department can look up some of the policies and procedures they aren’t quite sure they have read recently. Violating departmental policies is a surefire way to jeopardize officer and civilian lives, as well as possibly ending an officer’s or supervisor’s career! Section 3 — Getting Along With the Boss Everyone has a boss. - The patrol officer has a sergeant; the sergeant has a lieutenant; the captain has the chief, and the chief has the mayor or city manager. Regardless of where you fall in the hierarchy of your organization, it is to your advantage to get along with your boss. Failure to maintain an adequate working relationship can result in a difficult job situation, at its best. Here are a few hints that can help you to maintain a good working relationship with your boss, regardless of who it is: 1. Don’t Be Afraid of the Boss  The boss needs you as much as you need the boss. Remember that the boss’s job is to get things done through people. You are one of those people. Just as he or she can be a key to your success, your excellent performance is necessary for the boss’s success. All Bosses Have Quirks Just as you have your idiosyncrasies, so do they. Learn their quirks and learn to work with them. As a rule, you are the one who must adapt because the bosses probably aren’t going to change to suit your idiosyncrasies. After all, they are the bosses! Bosses Don’t Like Surprises Keep them informed about potential problem areas. Let them know that you are aware of the potential problem and that you are taking steps to control it. Don’t let bosses find out there is a serious impending problem in your area from someone else! Don’t Try to Hide a Problem If the problem finally arrives, then handle it. Let the boss know as soon as possible that you have a serious problem. Tell the boss what solutions you propose, and ask for any additional recommendations they might have. You’ll be surprised at how supportive the boss will be. Use the Boss’s Time Effectively Chances are there are several people like you reporting to the same boss. Therefore, your time with the boss is limited. Use just enough of it to get the information and guidance you need. Before going in, write down what you need to discuss and what you need from the boss. Be ready to answer simple questions. When you have what you need, it’s time to leave— unless the boss wants to discuss something more with you. Follow Up Your Meeting in Writing After a meeting with your boss, it may be appropriate to follow up with a short memo or e-mail outlining what was discussed and what actions you both agreed to take. This gives you both a last chance option in case there were any misunderstood communications during your meeting. Never Embarrass the Boss—NEVER! Many embarrassing situations are caused because the boss doesn’t know about something, and therefore isn’t prepared to handle it in front of peers, superiors, or the press. Your foresight in warning your boss of potentially embarrassing situations can go a long way to building a strong and trusting relationship, especially if you aren’t the cause of the potential embarrassment. Maintaining a good overall relationship with your boss can make both of your jobs much easier and more enjoyable. All it takes is a little understanding, a little tolerance, and some good, old-fashioned common sense on your part. Section 4 — Learning Supervisory Skills Police commanders want their supervisors to be knowledgeable and capable professionals. They want them to make good decisions and to exhibit excellent supervisory skills. That doesn’t “just happen.” Most skills and abilities that we generally consider necessary to becoming a good police supervisor can be learned. Most newly promoted sergeants and lieutenants will learn these skills over time. But a police commander needs those good supervisors now, not ten years from now. Because most of the necessary skills are learned, an understanding of how new supervisors learn those skills can give you some ideas on how to accelerate the learning process. To that end, here are several of the methods supervisors use to learn their supervisory skills. Observations of Their Supervisors As a new officer, a lot of time is spent watching and evaluating the actions and performance of supervisors in both routine matters and critical incidents. From those observations, they draw their own conclusions, and their collective experiences over the years help shape their supervisory personality for the future. But for this type of learning to work best, those patrol officers need to watch knowledgeable, capable, and professional supervisors who have learned excellent supervisory skills. That is not always the case. As one young sergeant told his captain, “My sergeant always screamed at me at lineup if I did a bad report or something. So when I made sergeant, I did the same thing to my officers. It was a long time before I learned the proper way of praising in public and chastising in private. Now I know.” Policy and Procedure Manuals policy and procedure manuals guide all members of the department in everyday activities. many departments require promotional candidates to display adequate knowledge of policies and procedures through exam process. This process is good sense for some of the technical aspects but does little to help learn supervisory skills. Although some of the policies and procedures have some relationship to personnel actions and decisions, they cannot help the candidate to develop the person-to-person supervisory skills so necessary to becoming a successful supervisor. Besides, they were studying those manuals primarily to pass the test, not studying how to be an effective supervisor. Therefore they may not have focused on the value of the long-term effects of what they were reading. Formal Training Courses Few states require any specific training courses for new police supervisors. Even those that do vary widely in their specific hourly or course content standards. Therefore, it is left to the local department or regional academy to provide such training. Many don’t. To put a police officer on the street without basic academy training is unthinkable in today’s modern policing environment. Yet new police supervisors are often thrust into their new positions with little or no training courses to help them learn supervisory skills. Commanders would do well to ensure that those who will soon be promoted are given adequate basic supervisory skills training prior to assuming their new positions. Such training may help prevent problems for the new supervisor, as well as in helping prevent long-term problems for you. On-the-Job Training After police recruits complete the basic academy, they are sent on to a field training program to work with a senior officer for a period of time. Many progressive police departments conduct a similar field training officer (FTO) program for new supervisors. This type of program allows them to work with an excellent, experienced supervisor who can help them translate their past experience, and their new supervisory training, into sound supervisory practices. The people skills they learn from an experienced and professional supervisor during this segment of their training will serve them well throughout their careers. Trial and Error This method of learning is the new police supervisor’s least favorite way to learn. The “trial” part causes them stress and the “error” part causes them even more stress. When things go wrong, they can go very wrong, very quickly. Yet it can take years to climb the learning curve to successful supervision using this learning method. Forcing them to use this method is setting them up for failure from the beginning in their new position. Police commanders should do everything they can to help their new supervisors learn the skills required of a police supervisor before ever promoting them. Doing so will prevent both short- and long-term problems for the new supervisor, for their commanders, and for the department. Section 5 — Do Police Supervisors Need College Degrees? When more than 500 active police sergeants, lieutenants, and captains were asked if they should be required to have college degrees, the majority said, “yes.” When they were then asked to briefly explain their answers in writing, the results got much more interesting. The police supervisors surveyed were selected at random from small, medium, and large agencies across the country. The survey was conducted anonymously so respondents could provide honest, candid, and straightforward answers. As a result, their responses were just that, both pro and con. A sergeant from a small department in Virginia responded that a college degree should not be required of police supervisors. He then wrote, “A good supervisor with a thorough knowledge of his job and good people skills does not need a degree to do the job, but it also couldn’t hurt to further his or her education.” From a medium-sized sheriff’s department in Florida, a sergeant with 18 years of experience in the sergeant’s rank indicated, “Yes,” police supervisors should be required to have college degrees. He wrote, “Supervisors must be able to communicate and to review others’ communications. College prepares the individual for those skills.” These two differing responses were typical for those who hold the rank of sergeant. Survey results showed that 52% of the sergeants said “yes” to a college degree requirement, while 47% said “no,” and 1% did not answer. Lieutenants voted their preferences in almost the exact same percentages. However, those holding the rank of captain and above placed more emphasis on requiring a college degree for supervisors, with nearly two thirds of them saying “yes” to a degree requirement. From a large county agency in Maryland, a captain wrote, “The communications skills, both verbal and written, are needed to be effective and require advanced education.” He holds a Master’s Degree. Yet another captain from a small department in New York said “no” to the degree requirement and stated, “I feel high school and experiences on the job is good enough.” He has no degree. A police chief who worked his way up through the ranks, working at least five years each as a sergeant, a lieutenant, a captain, and a chief, voted “yes” for a degree requirement. “Today’s demands on police supervisors make it essential,” he stated. He has a Bachelor’s Degree.  Although the number of supervisors in favor of a degree requirement represented the majority view, even many of those answering “no” to the degree requirement thought college was a good idea. Here are some of the dissenting opinions: A six-year sergeant from Wisconsin stated, “No requirement—but it should be urged and the promotional process should give some weight to it.” A sergeant from Delaware stated, “Am in between the ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ I firmly believe in continuing one’s education. However, I have seen supervisors who have had degrees who had no business being supervisors. I have also seen supervisors who did not have a degree and I would be very content to work under them.” A sergeant from Illinois, who holds a Bachelor’s degree, wrote, “I don’t believe a college degree is required if the individual has demonstrated the necessary skills to be a good supervisor.” Many of those in favor of a degree requirement were very articulate in citing their reasons. Here are some examples: A 12-year lieutenant from Massachusetts wrote, “The world is changing. The job is changing. The public expects educated police supervisors. The writing and other skills learned are as valuable as the degree.” A 23-year lieutenant from Tennessee answered “yes,” and explained why. “In an information-based age such as the one in which we live, and which will only become more demanding in the near future, supervisors must be able to deal in a more complex and diverse social environment.” An eight-year sergeant from a medium-sized agency in Texas stated, “The process of obtaining a college degree instills particular qualities which are valuable to a supervisor. These qualities include organizational skills, planning and the ability to follow through with a long-term project. You are also given opportunities to interact with a wide variety of people.” The greatest single indicator as to whether or not a respondent would answer “yes” or “no” to the degree requirement was their own degree of education. Among supervisors who had “high school only,” only 24% felt a college degree was necessary. But, among those who hold a “Master’s degree or above,” 78% felt there should be a degree requirement for police supervisors.  However, a 29-year veteran from Iowa, with 20 years as a sergeant, summed up the views of the majority of respondents, whether they voted “yes” or “no” for a degree requirement. He cited four reasons to have college-educated police supervisors. (1) “The public expects it as the general population is becoming more educated. (2) More line officers have degrees. They have little respect for supervisors who don’t. (3) The term professionalism requires some standard to begin with. Education is usually one of the building points. (4) Better employees.” The sergeant’s fourth point says it all! Section 6 — Building Your Career What does it take to build a successful career in law enforcement? The answer to that has changed in recent years. In the past, good common sense was thought to be the number one attribute necessary for success in policing at any rank. Good common sense is still important, but knowledge of ever-increasingly complex laws, personnel policies, and litigation prevention tactics are all just as necessary. In the new millennium, progressive and upwardly mobile police officers will reach out and take charge of their careers. They recognize that the minimal training mandated in some states can result in minimal performance, and they want more. They want a successful career with progressively more money, responsibility and prestige. They want a career that serves them well for 20-30 years, and then provides them with a substantial income in their retirement years. These progressive officers look to a well-balanced career development process to set themselves apart from their peers. They are preparing themselves for success and will be ready when opportunities arise. This balanced approach involves the three keys to success: education, training, and experience, which is a basic guide for any upwardly mobile officer, regardless of their current rank. Education As we discussed in Chapter 1, the debate continues as to whether a college-educated officer performs any better on the street than an officer with no college. Although the debate continues, more and more police agencies are requiring some college, and even two- or four- year degrees at entry level. Formal education can help officers communicate better both orally and in writing—skills that make the jobs of patrolman through chief much easier. Learning about the criminal justice system in an academic environment can also help officers understand their job in context with the many agencies of government. In short, formal education can provide an intellectual framework into which you can put all of your other criminal justice training and experience. If that isn’t enough, look at the common sense aspect of the formal education issue. If your agency requires a two-year degree at entry level, it follows that to supervise these officers and to have credibility with them, perhaps you should have as much or more education than they do. In reality, many departments, formally or informally, are already looking for sergeants with bachelor’s degrees, and lieutenants and above with master’s degrees. Your future is up to you on this issue. Spend some of your off-duty hours watching sitcoms on TV, or spend them in a classroom. You can decide for yourself which will pay you better in the future. Training “Hey Sarge, I can’t go to that DEA school. That’s in the middle of hunting season,” complains a long-time officer. “I’ll go,” volunteers the upwardly mobile officer. Every training class you go to will help you somehow during your career. Training classes can help you make more and better arrests, understand laws and procedures better, or help save your life. Each class you attend will help you build up your law enforcement résumé, and that can make you better qualified and more confident when being screened, tested, or interviewed for promotions. And of course, while attending those classes, you will be meeting progressive officers from other precincts, units, or departments. That can be as valuable as the training, because you will repeatedly run into those old friends as you climb the various career ladders in your respective departments. You never know who among your past classmates might be looking for an upwardly mobile person to fill a supervisory position in their unit. Experience The amount of experience an officer has is not solely a function of the time they have on the job. The types of experience they gain will vary from individual to individual. In many departments, the length and type of experience you gain is something you can control, at least to some degree. Working a busy area as a line officer, or as a supervisor, can help you quickly gain valuable experience. It can also help you to learn from the failures and successes of the people you work with in such a busy area. Don’t hesitate to get involved and ask questions. Better that you should learn from someone else’s mistake than your own. If you want to move up through the ranks of your department, be sure you get diversified experience. Try not to spend too much time in any particular specialty area. If you want to be a K-9 officer, that’s fine. Do it for a few years and move on to some other aspect of the job such as investigations or planning and research. When looking for command-level personnel, top administrators want someone with a diversified background, because those positions often require oversight of several types of units. Overspecialization has been the downfall of many upwardly mobile candidates, particularly when “no suitable replacement” is available for their current highly specialized assignment. Okay, so you agree that getting your degrees, going to all kinds of training classes, and getting diversified experience is the way to a successful career. Now you ask, “Where do I get the time for all this and still do my job?” Here is where the common sense answer has to prevail here. First, building a successful career is your job. Second, start now. You’ve got 20 – 30 years to get all the education, training, and experience you can handle. You don’t need it all “right away”; you can get it “on your way.” Section 7 — Preparing for Promotion Preparation is the key to getting promoted. Even in a highly political environment, competent people must be promoted to key positions to keep the agency running smoothly and without scandal. Senior police commanders look for prepared and competent mid-level commanders who can keep the agency running in a professional manner. To help you get your “just rewards” in your agency, here are a few tips to help you get promoted: Start Early The academy is a good starting place. Establish yourself, early on, as a serious, professional and upwardly mobile candidate at the beginning. Study hard, ask questions and do your best. A solid foundation is necessary to build anything that can stand the test of time. Start your career with this strong foundation and ignore your less committed critics. Learn From Others When one of your fellow officers makes a solid arrest, ask how he or she did it. Their insight will help you to learn how best to do your job. If they make an arrest for “Burglary 1st,” look up the elements of the offense, and the case law relating to that offense, so that you will know how to professionally evaluate and execute an arrest on a similar case of your own in the future. In doing so, you will also improve your chances of correctly answering a question on that offense on your next promotional exam. Avoid Problems When police officers around you make mistakes, learn from their mistakes. Avoiding problems in police work requires you to know the law, interpret the law effectively and to do the “right thing.” However, in order to be effective, you must have the education, training, and experience to know what the “right thing” is under the circumstances. With adequate preparation, and a little forethought, you will seldom have problems in a professional police department at any rank if you do the “right thing.” Be Committed Your goal is to be the best police officer, sergeant, lieutenant, or chief that you can be. You are to serve the public trust in a professional manner regardless of your current rank. Keep that focus in your upwardly mobile quest. It will serve you well. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare If you receive a new directive on the “Handling of Hazardous Material Spills,” read it, learn from it, and put it in your “promotions” file. New directives are often the subject of promotional exam questions or oral interview questions. Look at other recent, important and controversial operations or personnel issues and try to anticipate questions that could be asked about your understanding and decision making about that current, in vogue, issue. In short, know what’s going on, or you will be left behind. Make Your Intentions Known If you want to be considered as a serious candidate for promotions, let it be known that you are willing to accept the responsibility of a promotion. The “will” to command is an historically important component to success in any command position. That willingness to command will show not only your desire, but will also draw attention to your preparation for the position. All that attention will separate you from much of your competition who have less resolve. Get a Mentor Sometimes a mentor will find you and help you find your path to success. That is generally because you have shown them your potential for success through your work and the actions previously described. In some cases you may need to seek the counsel of those successful individuals in your organization who can help you succeed. It’s not tough. It may be as simple as, “Captain, I’d like to go up the ranks in this organization. Can you help direct me?” They will. Learn the Rules Many candidates fail to learn the rules for getting promoted, and then wonder why they didn’t get promoted. Study the formula for promotion in your department. Is the emphasis on academics, the written exam, or the oral interview? If the emphasis is on the academics, or the law, or policies and procedures, then determine where you should concentrate your efforts. If the emphasis in your department is on the oral interview, then you need to concentrate your efforts in that area to be sure you can respond to their questions. This emphasis should be based on your study of your own department’s promotional process, which you must research. Every department has different priorities. Do your homework in this area. Get the Resources You Need Up-to-date law books, guides on how to take exams, and advice for maximizing your performance in oral interviews or assessment centers are readily available if you are serious about getting promoted. With promotions worth thousands of dollars per year, extending into retirement, investing a couple hundred dollars to outpace your competition is an investment in your future as well as your family’s future. Do Your Best We are not all destined to be the chief of a major department. The majority of police command personnel will never reach the rank of chief or sheriff. That’s okay. The issue at any rank is: “Are you doing the best job you can in your position?” If you can answer “yes” to that question, then your performance speaks for itself. Chances are that those above you will recognize your achievements and want you even higher in their chain of command of successful police leaders. Your best chance for getting promoted is to be a professional at every rank, prepare for the next rank, and always do the best you can. That bit of advice, and your personal preparation, will serve you well throughout your career wherever it may take you. Section 8 — Supervisory Ethics Every profession has a set of ethical standards that its members are expected to follow, and law enforcement is no exception. The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics formulated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police is a general, ethical guide for police officers. However, police supervisors often face dilemmas that are not covered by that particular code of ethics. Rather than facing street-level policing situations, they are much more likely to face personnel problems, promotional considerations, disciplinary actions, and a host of other internal situations. From outside the department, police supervisors face competition for limited funding, community accountability situations, and perceived or actual political pressures. Although there may not be a specific Police Supervisor’s Code of Ethics, asking yourself a few simple questions can help you make correct and ethical decisions throughout your career. So, when faced with making personnel or departmental decisions in that “gray” ethical area, here are a few questions to ask yourself. Is My Decision Legal? Although you are sworn to uphold the law, today’s supervisory decisions may fall under a set of laws that you didn’t learn in the Academy. Personnel decisions must be made carefully and with full knowledge of Title VII’s anti-discrimination provisions, the maternity leave acts, the Americans with Disabilities Act and a host of other laws. Other supervisory decisions must conform to Constitutional Law and civil rights laws. A police supervisor must not only know the provisions of the actual laws, but they must also have a working knowledge of all of the associated case law for each provision to avoid making decisions that may not pass legal scrutiny. Is My Decision Based on Emotion Rather than Facts? Emotional decisions are seldom good decisions. The negative emotions of anger, revenge, jealousy, lust, or greed must not be allowed to adversely influence the actual facts and circumstances of a dilemma. Other emotional considerations such as compassionate understanding or empathy can be allowed to weigh in for the decision-making process to mitigate the circumstances or motives, but good ethical decisions should be made primarily on the facts. Is It Worth My Job and/or My Career? Police supervisors and administrators can be faced with some very difficult ethical decisions. In some cases, extreme outside pressures can be brought to bear from civilian bosses, special interest groups, and politicians—all seeking a favorable decision for their own purposes. At times such as those, a police supervisor must evaluate the potential consequences of their decision, both pro and con. One single decision can have long-term influence and consequences. The question each individual supervisor must ask himself or herself is, “How far am I willing to go to maintain both my ethics and my job?” Only you know the answer to that question. Is My Decision Fair to All Concerned? After gathering all of the facts and circumstances of a given situation, take the time to look at the situation in terms of the people involved in it. If you choose to discipline a particular employee, is your action fair to them? On the other hand, would your failure to take disciplinary action be fair to others who do their best to follow the rules and avoid such disciplinary actions. Law enforcement supervision, like street work is still a person-to-person business and it will remain so. Taking the time to evaluate the situation in human terms can help you make better ethical decisions. With fundamental fairness as the cornerstone of your decision-making process, you can better evaluate the totality of the situation and make sound and ethical decisions. Last and perhaps the most important question to ask yourself is: Is it the Right Thing to Do? So many factors go into making the right decision that you cannot consciously evaluate each individual factor and its effect or your decision-making process. This is the time to take a deep breath and let your intuition take over for a moment. Do you have an uneasy feeling about making a particular decision? Then there is something wrong with it. On the other hand if a particular decision intuitively “feels good,” then it is probably the right decision to make. As you progress in your career, you will often be faced with ethical dilemmas both small and large. How you respond to those challenges will determine who you are and how you are perceived by others, both inside and outside the department. It is your choice as to whether you are perceived as a competent and ethical police commander, or as something else. In your daily activities, as well as in those difficult dilemmas, rely on your years of law enforcement education, training, and experience. In difficult situations, stop and ask yourself the five preceding questions. Then make your best decision. Chances are, you’ll be doing the right thing!  Chapter 3 You Got Promoted — Now What? By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day. — Robert Frost Section 1 — Are You a Positive Role Model? Section 2 — Decision Time! Section 3 — Maintaining Standards Section 4 — Good Communications Section 5 — Handling Mistakes Section 6 — Do You Recognize Good Work? Section 7 — Supervisory Notifications Section 8 — Managerial Mistakes to Avoid Section 1 — Are You a Positive Role Model? As a police administrator and supervisor, you routinely make decisions, solve problems, and generally run your department on a daily basis. However, as you go about your various duties, are you aware that your employees are watching everything you do, and the way you do it? What kind of an effect are the actions they observe having on your people? More than you may realize! First, as a supervisor at any rank, you are a role model for those who are coming up through the ranks. Their observations of your daily routine and actions may be the only frame of reference they have as to how a person of your rank should perform. When they get promoted, they will naturally assume that they should act the same way you did—good or bad! Second, as the person in charge, your people look to you for guidance, and as a source of power. They also will tend to emulate your attitudes, your demeanor, and even your appearance—good, or bad! For these reasons, you are in a position to be a positive, competent and professional role model. Or, you can represent everything that is wrong with the promotional system in your department. It’s all up to you! To help you to be that positive role model, here are 10 DOs and 10 DON’Ts for you to follow. How do you stack up? DO: DON’T: Look Like a Professional Be Closed-Minded Maintain a Positive Attitude Be Two-Faced Be Fair Gossip Be Honest Complain Be Available Be Lazy Make Timely Decisions Be Arrogant Recognize Good Work Over Manage Be Consistent Hold Grudges Be Knowledgeable, and Criticize in Public, or Respect Your Employees Be Insensitive  In short, be a model employee, maintain high standards, and others will pattern themselves after you. That’s good for them, for you, and for the department. Section 2 — Decision Time! How many times a day does someone start a conversation with you by asking “Can I…?” “Should I…?,” or by starting with words such as “Who?” “What?” or “When?” As a supervisor, you probably hear them several times a day, every day. And, chances are that in each case, you are required to make some type of decision before you are able to answer them back. The fact is that being a supervisor at any level requires that you have the ability to make decisions. In order for you to be successful, each decision you make must be sound, timely, and based on the facts and circumstances of the particular situation at hand. Supervisors who consistently make such valid decisions know that the secret to their success is found in using a logical, multi-stage, decision-making process. This process, when properly followed, and combined with a little common sense, will lead any supervisor down the path to success. Although some decisions are made in seconds, some in minutes, and some in days, they are all made the same way. Here is the procedure: Gather the Facts Just as in a criminal investigation, information is the key. You need to understand the whole situation. Therefore, you need to collect all of the facts and circumstances you can in a reasonable amount of time. Analyze Those Facts Review all of the information objectively. You must be able to clearly see the entire situation and who is affected by it. Be confident that you have a good grasp of the situation. Formulate Possible Decisions Think of all the possible decisions you could make. Then consider the consequences of each one on the people and circumstances involved. Consider both the short-term and the long-term effects. Choose the Best One — Then Implement It! Be prepared to stand behind your decision. Ensure that you will be able to articulate your reasons for making that particular decision. If called upon to explain your actions, do so in a forthright and confident manner, citing your reasons. You will seldom be called wrong. Even though you should be prepared to defend your actions, continue to keep an open mind. If new facts become known, or if circumstances suddenly change, you are perfectly justified in modifying your original decision to meet the changing environment. If you are to gain the trust and respect of your subordinates and superiors, you must be able to consistently make sound and timely decisions. Following the hints outlined here should help you toward that goal. Section 3 — Maintaining Standards In general, law enforcement supervisors get into trouble for what they don’t do. The duties and responsibilities of a law enforcement supervisor, at any level, are so numerous and diverse that it can be easy to overlook something. And the one thing that you overlook is the one that will get you and your department on the 6 o’clock news, and put your career on shaky ground. One of your responsibilities as a supervisor or commander is to maintain the standards that are set for your people and your department. In some departments, the standards are set high originally, but then those high standards erode over time, due to tolerance or lack of due vigilance by command personnel. Sometimes these lowered standards can explode in short order, such as in a front-page case of police brutality. Other times, a slow erosion of professional standards eventually ends up in unprofessional conduct and public disdain for the department and its members. And, the leadership of the police department, at all levels, is to blame for such a failure. To protect yourself, your career, your people, and your department, here are a few tips to help you take an inventory of your current standards and your responsibility to maintain them. Quality of Work Whether the work that you oversee consists of routine reports or the accounting of department funds, you have a right to expect good work by your people. They are being paid taxpayer dollars to do the job, and it should be done properly. It is your responsibility to ensure that your people comply with standard policies, procedures, and general operating practices. Those who choose to be sloppy, lazy or just inept, must be taken to task, and the job must be done right before you accept it. Quantity of Work Setting performance standards for the quantity of work can be difficult, particularly when setting standards at the street level. Avoiding allegations of “quota setting,” and the politics of that allegation can be challenging but not insurmountable for a professional police commander. What can be done is to set the quantity of work to be done, by anyone in the organization, at a reasonable level obtainable through reasonable effort for the area in which they work. A detailed productivity study can help, but you probably already have all the information you need. After all, you were there, and you know what it takes to do the job. You have been “there,” and can insist on a reasonable quantity of work for the bucks they are being paid. Safety Yes, law enforcement work is a dangerous job. But it becomes less dangerous when supervisors run their operations with safety in mind. Be sure that you have adequate people, equipment, and backup before placing your people in harm’s way. Control the situation to prevent bravado courage or poor execution. Plan ahead, train your people well, and maintain on-scene discipline, at all ranks. You will be required to place your people in harm’s way occasionally, but don’t ever do it needlessly. Grooming It is just plain fact. If police officers look like professional police officers, the public will respect them as professionals. And, the converse is true. If they look sloppy, wrinkled, and have “customized” their appearance to their own liking, despite the department’s rules and regulations, the public will respect them much less. That lack of respect will cause them problems on the street, and their problems will become your problems through injured prisoners, citizen complaints, etc. A simple, “Get those shoes shined before you hit the street,” can prevent a lot of problems for everybody. Ethics A 1,500-page policy and procedures manual is a good step toward a professional police department, but any one of those rules can be bent, broken, or ignored. The antidote for unethical, unprofessional, or illegal behavior is proper supervision, management, and leadership. And that would be your job, at whatever level that you command. Insisting that your police officers always—and we mean always—try to do “the right thing,” in every facet of their work, and at every level, is your job. Tough? You bet! But, it’s your duty and responsibility. So what do they call law enforcement units or departments that demand a reasonable quality and quantity of work from their members; watch out for the safety of its people, as well as demand high grooming and ethical standards from its officers? Professional! And what do they call the law enforcement commanders of these units or departments? Leaders! What do they call unprofessional law enforcement officers, units, and departments behind their backs? You don’t want to find out! Section 4 — Good Communications Communication, at any level, is an inexact art. Misunderstood communications are a problem in any industry, but the problems have far greater consequences in the life and death world of law enforcement. With the lives of civilians and officers on the line, law enforcement commanders need to have the best communication skills they can develop to avert future tragedies. Here are a few tips for enhancing your communication skills, both in the office, and on the street. “You Talkin’ Ta Me?” Whether you are speaking or writing, use words and phrases that your audience understands. There is a big difference between talking to an angry crowd of sports fans and giving a planning presentation to your executive board. One group might see your big words and perfect articulation as a strength; the other as a weakness. Know the difference, and adapt accordingly. Always be sure to speak and write in terms of the education, maturity level, and experience of the recipient of the communication. Ask for Input Good commanders at all levels recognize that they can’t know everything about every situation. Therefore, as a part of their communication process, they ask for the input of others. They consider the information, views, and opinions of others, including subordinates, peers, superiors, and other outside sources, including the public. The key to good decision-making is gathering the facts, at the proper time and place, and in the proper sequence to evaluate them and their consequences. Therefore, you can’t make your best decisions without asking for the input of others. Be Clear and Concise In verbal or written communications, simpler is better. First, think about what you want to say. Then think about the simplest way to say it. Make notes of the key points. Then prepare your thoughts for presentation. Avoid excessive background material or rambling. Get to the point! Explain, clearly and concisely, what needs to be done, when, and, in some cases, how. Let each individual communique deal with a simple action or objective. Including requests for multiple actions will confuse some people, and may cause some issues or actions to be lost in the process. Be clear, concise, and to the point about what you want done and when to do it. Get Feedback Were your orders or directives understood? You will never know until your project or objective either succeeds or fails, unless you ask questions and get feedback about your original orders. You knew what you wanted done, you spent time to communicate your wishes to others, but what did they really hear? Ask them. “Officer Jones, what is your understanding of my directive?” is a good start. Spot- check to be sure that your people really heard what you meant, and that they will proceed in the proper direction with your orders. Communication is such an inexact art that to have someone provide you with their express understanding of your words is critical in any verbal or written communication. Follow-Up Even though you followed all of the preceding steps, and you felt confident that everyone understood your oral or written communication, successful commanders take the next step and follow up on their orders. Your orders may have been clear and concise to the receiver, but typically those orders are passed from level-to-level and person-to-person within your organization. Seldom are the people who directly received your orders the ones who actually implement those orders. And, given the inexact nature of communications, your orders can get distorted in the process. Somehow in the process, your directive to “curtail all unnecessary non-patrol activities to conserve gas,” became “stop all patrol activities” to conserve gas—a missed and critical communication gap. Successful commanders recognize the problems of the interpretation of words and phrases, and that individuals will hear, read, and interpret those words consistent with their own values, views, and agendas. Recognizing that, and other factors, successful commanders take the steps necessary to prevent “communication problems” from getting out of hand. So remember, whether you are dealing with a tough street sweep or the executive board, the phrase “We are moving forward!” can have far different meanings and consequences to each of the recipients. Section 5 — Handling Mistakes It starts out innocently, “Boss, you got a minute?” Whether you do or not, your subordinate proceeds to tell you about the mistake he made, thereby dropping the whole thing right into your lap. Now what? Mistakes are a fact of life. Your subordinates will make them, and occasionally you will make them as well. The success of your career may depend on your ability to handle mistakes, avoidable or not, whenever they occur. Here are a few hints to help you handle mistakes, and the problems they can create. Evaluate It! Acknowledge that a mistake has occurred, keeping in mind that all mistakes can be handled. Stay calm, and realistically evaluate how much damage has been done. When you think through it logically, chances are there is less damage than originally appeared. Be Up Front Accept responsibility for the mistake and advise your supervisor of the situation. You may also need to advise anyone else who will be directly affected by it as well. However, that’s about it! There is no sense in broadcasting a mistake to the entire organization if it’s not necessary. Handle It Formulate, then act on, a plan of action to correct the mistake and to minimize the effect of it. Take the steps necessary to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. Keep your supervisor informed of your progress as you logically work your way through the entire situation. Document Your Actions Record all of the details of the incident: How it occurred, when and how you learned of it, who you notified, and what actions you took. This documentation will be of great value if you have to answer questions at a later date. It will also tend to protect you, your subordinates, and the organization by documenting the events at the time they occur. Learn and Grow Experience is a great teacher. The problems and mistakes that you handle will increase your levels of knowledge, maturity, and confidence. At the same time, your ability to effectively handle the situation will be watched by subordinates, and they will learn from your example. When you handle problems and mistakes calmly, logically, and professionally, you will gain the respect of your subordinates and your superiors. This respect, coupled with the knowledge and experience you gained, should make you a prime candidate when it comes to future promotions. Section 6 — Do You Recognize Good Work? While on a security post, Officer Don McCormack heard an unusual noise. He investigated, using all of his senses and previously taught skills. As a result of his stealthy approach and alertness, he apprehended an individual attempting to infiltrate a highly restricted area without incident. He turned that individual over to the investigative personnel and it was determined that, in fact, that individual was a terrorist attempting to infiltrate the secure facility he was assigned to protect. Officer McCormack didn’t hear anything else about the case until about two weeks later at roll call. Sergeant Moore announced that McCormack was to testify the next afternoon before a grand jury regarding the intruder case. “You’ll be off your post for about four hours, McCormack,” the sergeant announced in a nasty tone. Officer McCormack left roll call confused. He was confused because he knew he had done good work, but apparently nobody cared what he did as long as he was a body available for the next shift’s coverage. Apparently, Sergeant Moore had not heard about the major survey that found that workers repeatedly cited “Full Appreciation for Work Done” as their number one priority for job satisfaction in the workplace. Perhaps he also missed the classes in his supervisory training school that dealt with employee morale, motivation, and interpersonal communications, just to name a few. Knowledgeable supervisors know that employees respond directly to the feedback they get about their work. They will respond positively to positive feedback about their work and will work even harder when they know their efforts are appreciated. However, when they receive negative feedback, as in the example above, they are most likely to slow down, do just enough to get by, and avoid any contact with their supervisor unless absolutely necessary. With this in mind, the best supervisors, at any rank, are those who use positive feedback to help their people respond and produce at above-average levels of performance. Those motivated individuals will also continue their excellent performance over time, with a high level of personal job satisfaction and enthusiasm. In the case cited above, Sergeant Moore should have taken a much more positive view of McCormack’s court appearance. He could have made an announcement about the excellent investigation, and he could have joked in a positive way about the possibility of McCormack’s “Carrying an investigator’s badge the next time we see him.”  The sergeant could easily have covered McCormack’s shift for four hours. He had done it before for a lot less reason. Instead of viewing it as a break for the officer, and an opportunity for him to learn and grow, Sergeant Moore chose to provide negative feedback to the entire shift. The effects of that negative feedback will probably last a long time. Regardless of your position within an agency, you can usually turn any situation into an opportunity to provide positive feedback to your subordinates. All you need to do is think about how to do it. Here are a few examples of what can be done to reward employees, make them feel good about themselves and show them that you appreciate the work that they do. Recognition When your subordinates are out facing the same tough situations every day, they may feel like they are fighting a fruitless and never-ending battle. Such negative feelings can quickly lead to burnout and job dissatisfaction, particularly when they think nobody really cares about what they are doing. Take the time to say “thank you” for an employee’s continuing efforts to maintain the integrity of the department. Point out the positive impact his investigations have had in protecting the public, object, or facility through excellent alertness, investigations, and documentation of the facts. Your words will help him to view his job in the proper perspective, and will let him know that his efforts are worthwhile and appreciated. Opportunity for Development Officer Larry Jones showed an exceptional interest in tactical operations. He read up on them on his own, and was one of the few officers who really knew how important tactical training was to the ultimate success of critical operations. Sent to the scene of a critical incident as backup, Officer Jones found himself closer to the action than was planned. However, he performed calmly and professionally throughout the difficult and sensitive incident. He had proved that he could handle the stress of a critical situation. In addition to a positive recommendation for future promotion, his superiors arranged for him to attend a special tactics school for two weeks so he could qualify for a permanent backup position on the Special Tactics Team. Only longer-term veterans had been sent in the past. Providing Interesting Work When reviewing the dispatch log, a sergeant noticed that a young officer was taking more than the usual time when handling routine prowler calls at the secure housing area he patrolled. Curious, he responded with the young officer to such a call and found the reason for the extended time. The young officer, in addition to checking for a prowler, was spending the time to show the resident how to best secure their windows and doors so they would feel safer and to deter future prowlers. In addition, the sergeant found out that the young officer followed up each call to be sure the residents had implemented some of the precautions he recommended. When the captain announced that he needed someone knowledgeable about crime prevention to address a newly arrived group of residents, the sergeant knew just the right officer to assign. The young officer became the department’s resident crime prevention specialist and ultimately became their full-time crime prevention officer. Whether you are protecting residential facilities, the general public, or dignitaries, you still need to recognize and appreciate the good work of your people. It’s not hard. Just look at what they do, stop and think about it, and you will find plenty of reasons to praise their good work, and help them develop a positive future with your organization. Section 7 — Supervisory Notifications Law enforcement supervisors and managers cannot work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Yet their commands keep up that ongoing pace relentlessly. How can you reconcile the responsibility of command with the realities of the working world, a family, and a life? The answer is in the “exception” principle of management. Essentially, that means that each rank should handle only situations that their subordinate officers have neither the authority nor the capacity to handle. If it is a situation that they cannot handle, or they have handled it but it may have further implications, then a superior officer needs to be notified, either for future guidance, a critical decision or just so they know what is going on. In many cases that means calling the superior officer at home to make the notification. Good commanders, at any rank, provide their people with a set of guidelines for making such supervisory notifications. Put in the form of a memorandum, these guidelines should be provided to each subordinate officer as well as posted in an appropriate place in the department for handy reference during critical incidents. Here is a list of incidents that a law enforcement supervisor or manager might provide to his/her people for them to make appropriate supervisory notifications. Serious Injuries to Any Officer or Employee Every police supervisor should have a great concern for his/her subordinates’ welfare. If an officer is seriously injured, the commander of that unit should be notified immediately so he/she can take appropriate action on the care of the officer or employee, as well as making additional supervisory notifications. Use-of-Force Incidents Involving Serious Injury or Death to a Civilian or a Suspect The nature of law enforcement work is such that the police will occasionally be required to use force, even deadly physical force, against civilian suspects. When serious injury or death occurs as a result of such police actions, the commander of the unit should be notified to ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to document the circumstances of the incident for the protection of all persons involved in the incident. Incidents Involving Police Officers of Other Jurisdictions Occasionally, incidents will occur that involve officers of other jurisdictions operating within the geographic boundaries assigned to a particular police commander. Such actions are common in the case of multi-jurisdictional task forces and federal or state law enforcement units operating within local jurisdictions. Proper and timely supervisory notifications of such incidents can prevent jurisdictional or “turf” problems from flaring up at a later time. Incidents Involving Off-Duty Police Officers Whether they are officers of your own or of another jurisdiction, any unusual or unlawful conduct by off-duty officers should result in the immediate notification, through channels, to the commander of the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. This timely notification will allow the commander to communicate with the errant officer’s commander to determine the appropriate actions to be taken by each jurisdiction in the matter. Serious Crimes Although the term “serious crime” can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, some specific guidelines may be necessary to be sure that only appropriate supervisory notifications are made. The seizure of a kilo of cocaine may be big news in a small suburban town, but not a cause for immediate supervisory notification in some cities, where it is an all-too-routine occurrence for an immediate supervisory notification. Incidents Involving Prominent Public Figures From politicians to rock stars, the interest generated by police involvement with these high profile people will become a highly publicized event. With the proper supervisory notifications made in a timely manner, the police commander can mobilize the appropriate resources necessary to handle the media onslaught that can follow such high-profile incidents. Incidents Involving Media-Sensitive Issues There may be local or national media coverage of selected events, issues, or persons. Such situations can include many “hot button” issues that are often controversial. Prompt supervisory notifications when such incidents occur will allow police commanders to be prepared for the media and political ramifications of the incident, rather than be caught unaware and short-handed. Any Other Incident or Arrest of an Unusual or Highly Controversial Nature This catchall phrase allows subordinate commanders to have the latitude to call upon a commander at their own discretion, whether for immediate guidance, for future planning, or just because they are not sure exactly what they should do in a particular situation. The responsibility of a command, of a squad, a unit, or a department is a difficult and demanding task. It is not a 9 to 5 responsibility. In order to perform effectively, law enforcement commanders must be kept apprised of critical incidents when they occur. Conversely, subordinate commanders need definitive guidelines to follow to ensure that their commanders receive timely notification of such critical incidents without being notified of relatively trivial events that could wait until the commander comes back on duty. The issue here is effective communications both up and down the chain of command. You can help foster such good and effective communications by writing that memorandum setting out the foregoing supervisory notification guidelines, as well as your own thoughts on the matter. You will be helping yourself as well as those young officers who often ask themselves, “Should I call the boss on this one or not?” Section 8 — Managerial Mistakes to Avoid When a group of incumbent police managers was asked to prepare a list of the management mistakes they had made in their careers, they could think of none. When the same group was asked to prepare a list of management mistakes that they had seen others make, they had no problem making a substantial list. From that second list, here are the six most serious management mistakes that you and your other management personnel should try to avoid, especially when first taking over a new unit or command. Indecision In an industry that deals with public safety, and where seconds can make the difference between a successful police action or a disaster, it’s no wonder that indecision is on this list of management mistakes. The process of making sound and timely decisions is a learnable skill for most people. Therefore, there is no excuse for a police commander, at any rank, to be guilty of indecision. Failure to Motivate Subordinates When subordinates fail to meet a police commander’s expectations, he/she tries to motivate the individual members who are under-performing within the unit. This can work if the unmotivated officers are a small percentage of the unit. But, if the whole unit, or a substantial portion of the unit is under-performing reasonable expectations, then the culprit is a lack of leadership from the current commander of that unit. Leadership is the ability to know what your unit should be doing, understanding what it takes to get them there, and developing a commitment from your unit that they will follow your lead. That type of dynamic leadership inspires the effective motivation of your people. Failure to Give Positive Reinforcement The very nature of police work requires officers to catch people doing something wrong. After years of this behavior on the street, officers are promoted, take over a unit, and catch their own people—doing something wrong. Police commanders at all ranks need to overcome their pasts if they are to avoid this managerial mistake. Your people want to be commended for exceptional work, as well as simply being recognized for doing everyday work well. Take the time out of your busy day to catch some of your people—doing something right. The next three managerial mistakes are all interrelated, and are very common mistakes made by both new, and experienced, police commanders. Try to avoid all of them, individually and collectively. Failure to Solicit Input from Subordinates It is a foolish commander who thinks he/she can know everything and make a perfect decision every time. Your people have information that can help you make a better decision in a given situation. They can also help you foresee any problems down the road when you select one option over another. Couple the advantages of enhancing your decision-making capability with the fact that your subordinates want some degree of control over their own destiny. They want their voices heard and their opinions valued. Even if the final decision doesn’t go their way, they will feel some ownership of the process and satisfaction at having had the opportunity to be heard. Coming on Too Strong It is true that when taking over a new unit, it is better to come on a little too strong than a little too weak. The supporting theory is that it will be much easier to “back off” a little once your authority is established than it is to retake any position that your weakness gave up. So how strong is too strong? As the new commander, you need to evaluate the unit’s mission, performance, and personalities. You also need to lead, consistent with your own personality. You are the one who must make the decision on how strong is too strong. That’s why you are the commander. Being Too Autocratic It is quite possible to be a strong leader without being perceived as autocratic. Professional commanders work on their “people skills” as well as their “technical skills.” There are times when you must, as a police commander, lean toward the autocratic, but most of the time you can operate in a subordinate friendly and approachable manner. You should treat your people with dignity and respect and seek their input on both important and small matters. When you care about the safety and security of your people, it is hard to be thought of as autocratic. You are much more likely to be perceived as a strong and caring leader of your unit. Rest assured that you will occasionally make a managerial mistake; just try not to make any of the six that we just listed.  Chapter 4 GAINING CONFIDENCE Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble, but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy. — Norman Vincent Peale Section 1 — Confidence is Critical! Section 2 — “Boss, You Got a Minute?” Section 3 — Handle It! Section 4 — Managing Change Section 5 — Handling Controversy Section 6 — Handling Conflict Section 7 — Forbidden Phrases Section 1 — Confidence is Critical! Your subordinates must have confidence in your ability to be their leader if you are to be an effective commander. The question is how do you gain that confidence. Here are a few tips that may help you. Appear Confident In a world where appearances are as important as realities, you must appear confident and in charge at the scene of any incident. Your calm air of confidence will come naturally if you understand your role, have the background and knowledge to do the job, and the fortitude to be ready and able to do what is necessary to get the job hone. To reach that point, you need to prepare, prepare, and prepare. Study and learn every aspect of your job from the case law to the tactics. Mentally prepare to be the commander of a scene, capable of balancing the need to get the job done with watching out for the welfare of your people. Know your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the capabilities of your unit. Once physically and mentally prepared, you will automatically exude a self-confidence that will be recognized by your subordinates. They will then be willing to follow your lead in any crisis. Encourage Free Speech Your subordinates also have a great deal of knowledge and experience in law enforcement. Allow them to share that knowledge and experience with you. Solicit their opinions and ideas. “What would you do if you were in my position?” This question, asked with sincerity and confidence, will elicit perspectives and ideas you may not have considered. Even if you have to make a final decision that is not in agreement with the counsel of your subordinates, at least they had the opportunity to express their opinions on the matter at hand. Thank them for their input and explain that because you are the one who must take the ultimate responsibility, you must make the final decision as you see it, taking into account all of the information you have received from them and other sources. Your subordinates, even those who may not agree with your decision, will respect you for your ability to make the decision and go forward. Keep Your People Informed Officers are accustomed to gathering facts, making their own decisions based on those facts, and thereby controlling their own destiny. If you take away their ability to gather solid facts, the rumor mill fills the void and officers will use those rumors in place of facts to speculate about their destinies. Good commanders realize that there is very little in policing that requires great secrecy. They keep their subordinates as informed as possible. When rumors surface, a good commander tracks them down and replaces them with the facts of the matter. As a result, subordinates learn to go to the commander to get the “straight scoop” on any issue. The trust that this builds up over time substantially increases their confidence in their commander. Keep Promises Although it seems like common sense, too many supervisors fail to keep promises made to their subordinates. They don’t do it intentionally, they just promise too much, without having the authority or ability to deliver on the promise. When that happens, the confidence level of subordinates drops dramatically. Experienced commanders know better than to make promises they can’t keep. They can promise to try to get an unpopular policy changed, but they know that they can’t change it themselves. They can only take their concerns to the policy makers and try to be influential enough to get the policy changed. Whether they are successful or not, they have kept their promise by trying to get it changed. To garner the confidence of your employees, keep your promises, or don’t make them. Remove Unnecessary Roadblocks Your employees will become frustrated with impediments to getting their work done and it is up to you to clear the way for them to do their work. As an example, in your city, the precinct captain must approve the execution of all search warrants in the precinct. A search warrant has just been issued, but the precinct captain is at a wedding. Your officers are frustrated and fear destruction of important evidence if they don’t get approval in a short period of time. It is up to you to get the approval, as unobtrusively as possible, but get the approval, so your officers can move forward. Over time, when you have shown your people that you know what you are doing, you listen to them, keep them informed, and you can get things done, your people will learn to trust you and to have confidence in you. Once that happens you will know it when the senior man in your unit asks: “Sarge, what do you want us to do next?” Section 2 — “Commander, You Got a Minute?” When you claim the title of “commander” of any type of unit, you tacitly agree to make yourself available whenever your people need you. Those who report to you will often need your guidance, support, or perhaps just a quick decision during a critical incident. It is up to you to ensure that your actions and attitudes convey your willingness to meet their needs and your obligations. To assist in preparing yourself and your people, here are a few hints on how to be available, and accessible, when your people need you. Be Dependable Your subordinates need to be able to find you quickly when they need you. In the often fast- paced world of law enforcement, a delay in getting a critical decision, or a lack of timely guidance from a supervisor, can allow a situation to escalate far beyond where it should have been controlled. Therefore, you should always make arrangements so that you can be reached quickly, either in person, by telephone, radio, or beeper. Depending on your actual rank and position, this can mean off-duty, as well as on-duty. As long as subordinates know that they can depend on reaching you, they will be more willing to seek your guidance in critical situations. That willingness alone can be a key factor in keeping a particular mission or project from getting out of hand. Be Friendly and Approachable Although being available is very important, it is also important that you put yourself in a position where subordinates are willing to approach you. Studies have repeatedly shown that the supervisor who is open and friendly with subordinates has the greatest chance of success. Keeping that in mind, be sure that you take the initiative in talking with your people and getting to know them. In doing so, you will also be helping them get to know you, and that will help them to become comfortable talking with you. Keep your office door open. Encourage them to ask you questions and make it clear that their inquiries are welcomed. Maintaining such a positive atmosphere will ensure that there is no hesitation in contacting you when a critical situation occurs. You will be kept informed, and they will be assured that their actions are appropriate as a result of your guidance. Take Your Time When a subordinate asks for assistance, be sure to thoroughly address their needs. Make their problem your number one priority until it is resolved to their satisfaction. Take as much time as is needed. Whether it involves a quick decision, or a lengthy explanation of a new policy, the time spent will be a good investment. That’s because when a similar situation occurs in the future, the thorough explanation or action you previously took will allow the subordinate to handle the situation without your assistance. That way, the employee grows, and you are free to concentrate on other duties, knowing that you have a capable subordinate handling the situation. Showing that you are approachable and willing to share your expertise and experience with your people will help build the element of trust in your relationships with them. The advantage to them is that they will feel more secure in their work, knowing that you are there if they need you. The advantage to you is that you will know that they will contact you for input if they feel it is necessary. Making yourself readily available, approachable, and willing to help your subordinates can help ensure the success of a mission or project that is your responsibility. Therefore, the next time you hear “Commander, you got a minute?” consider it a tribute to your management skills and a form of job security. Section 3 — Handle It! Law enforcement at any level requires an ability to confront and handle situations, problems, and conflicts. The decision making and problem solving for every situation should be made at the lowest possible level in the police organization. If the sergeant can “handle it,” then he should. If not, it should go to the lieutenant to be handled, and so on. Taking care of problems at the lowest possible level serves several very valuable functions in the department. First, it frees up upper-level command officers to better perform their primary duties of acquiring the necessary resources (money, political support, etc.) to run the department. It also allows upper-level commanders to perform strategic planning, allocate resources, create and manage the budget, and so on. For the lower-level commanders, usually sergeants and lieutenants, who must make the decisions and solve the problems, there are also several advantages. First, they gain valuable experience in handling difficult situations that will help them prepare for future command- level positions. Their commanders also will be observing their performances and evaluating their future promotability. Although both of these factors are important, the satisfaction and confidence gained in handling a different or complex situation, without needing help, is a valuable confidence builder. To help officers better “handle it” when the time comes, here are a few practical tips. Follow the Guidelines Many commanders have confronted situations similar to those you will face. From their experiences, your department’s policy and procedure manual has evolved. Become familiar with it, before you are confronted with a difficult situation. However, even though it has grown over the years, realize that it may not cover everything. Know Your Capabilities To effectively handle numerous situations, you must be able to deploy the correct combination of patrol, investigative and specialized personnel, and equipment. Therefore, you must know what resources you have, where they are located, and the process you need to follow to access them in a timely manner to prevent situations from escalating to the next level. Make a Plan For some major incidents, such as natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, etc.), your department most likely has a disaster plan in place. If so, you need to review it so you can begin to implement it at the earliest possible times. For lesser situations, mostly man-made, you will need to formulate a plan. That plan may be a mini-version of the bigger disaster plan. Making a plan, with your past knowledge, will help you solve the critical situations that you face. Take the Risk Although there are no guarantees of success in critical situations, you are a knowledgeable and prepared commander. You will have a “feel” for what it takes to solve the situation. Implementing your original plan, with the proper manpower and resources at the right time, requires an element of risk, but it will be with a “reasonable expectation of winning.” To delay could make matters worse. A word of caution—always have a withdrawal strategy and a backup plan, with additional help on its way before committing your personnel. Accept the Responsibility As the highest ranking person at the scene of a critical incident, it is up to you to “handle it” until you are relieved. You should accept this responsibility for the good of your people, your department, and your community. Yes, you need to advise your immediate supervisor of the current situation, and help may be on its way, but it is you who have to make the critical decisions and take the proper actions for now. Do the Right Thing The department has given you guidelines, you know the laws that govern your actions and you have your past law enforcement experiences to draw from. But there is no substitute for listening to your internal physical, mental, and moral self that tells you the actions you are about to take are the “right thing to do” for the situation you are facing. By following your policies, procedures, and other guidelines listed above, you should be well on your way to properly handling the situation you are facing. If you continually follow that course of action, it is likely to take you up the ladder of success within your department. Section 4 — Managing Change Change is inevitable in any organization! Departmental goals, policies, and procedures are always subject to change. As a ranking officer, it is your responsibility to take the initiative and implement those changes in a smooth and efficient manner. To do this, you must manage the change process from beginning to end. Following a few simple rules can help make your job, and the jobs of your subordinates, much easier during this change process. The effective implementation of change in your unit will reflect very favorably on your performance as a commander. Supervisors who fail to effectively manage the change process run the risk of seriously damaging their careers. Prepare for the Change Few changes are thrust on you with absolutely no warning. A good supervisor stays alert to future change possibilities and begins managing the process immediately. By monitoring recent court decisions, unusual local cases, and nationally publicized incidents, you can gain valuable insight into what changes may soon occur in your department. Begin by discussing the subject or case casually with your employees. Gauge their reactions to some of the changes that could be brought about as a result of what has occurred. Allow them to vent their ideas and feelings on the subject. Listen to them carefully. Before the hint of change arrives on your department’s doorstep, you will have already identified problem areas, explored various options, as well as having identified the employees who may resist certain changes, and those who are willing to readily accept certain changes. Keep Everyone Informed Begin a dialogue with all who could be affected by changes in the area under consideration. If you find extreme resistance to a particular alternative from your employees during your informal discussions, convey those concerns to your boss. If you sense strong feelings toward a particular alternative from your boss, convey that to your employees to help them prepare for that possible alternative. Such open communication can help to reach a compromise acceptable to everyone in the organization and can lead to an extremely smooth transition. Naturally, you must be careful during this procedure to ensure that you don’t violate anyone’s confidence, up or down the chain of command. Be Honest and Straightforward If you are a good supervisor, your opinion on the matter under consideration will be valued by both your subordinates and superiors alike. If you are a respected and informed member of the management team, your honest and knowledgeable opinion can make a difference. This is not the time to be quiet, because you will be living with the final changes as much as anyone else. Make your feelings known on the matter, but keep a flexible stance. You may have to ultimately implement a decision substantially different from the one you originally favored. Even if that occurs, you will have gained respect from everyone for making your feelings known in a knowledgeable and professional manner. Explain and “Sell” When the decisions have been made at levels above your rank, it is finally time to explain the new policy or procedure to your employees, often at a group meeting. Try to explain why the decision was made and why it was viewed as the best alternative. Focus on the factors that will affect your people personally. Also help them to see how the change will favorably affect the department’s mission. Allow reasonable discussions on the matter and respond to all concerns. Assure them that you will personally support the decision, and that you expect it to be implemented as quickly and as smoothly as possible. It is a major part of your job as a police supervisor to “sell” the decisions of your superiors, whether or not you agree with them. Avoid Overkill When explaining the changes to your subordinates, not everyone will readily accept them despite your best efforts. When you feel that the subject has been fully presented and discussed, and that a large majority of the employees will accept the changes, end the meeting. If you feel it is necessary to continue discussions, meet any particular employee one-on-one in your office. Further discussion may be worthwhile, but eventually the discussion must end and you must make it clear that the appropriate changes must be implemented by all employees, whether they personally agree with them or not. Caution Because it is a part of your job on the “management team” to implement upper-level decisions, be sure that you do so honestly. If you do not convey the impression that you personally support the decision and that you seriously intend to see this change implemented, your people will not take the change seriously and will tend to ignore it. That will lead to problems within the unit and will ultimately cause problems and conflict up and down the chain of command. You will become the person in the middle and the resulting turmoil will undermine your authority. In addition, you will be seen as an ineffective leader when your people don’t implement the directed changes. Change will continue to occur in the field of law enforcement just as it does in the rest of the world. Those who accept the necessary changes and manage the change process effectively will continue to be successful commanders. Those who can’t, or won’t, accept change, will find themselves with chronic problems within their units. Ultimately those ineffective commanders will be removed from their units and be replaced by someone who can effectively manage the inevitable change process. Section 5 — Handling Controversy The ability to handle controversy is critical to the success of any police commander at any rank. The problem may be internal to your department, such as a disagreement over who is getting promoted or allegations of selective discipline. Or the controversy may involve disagreements over external issues such as police policies or tactics and how they are implemented in your community. Because handling controversy is such a critical skill, here are a few tips to help you handle it. Controversy is Inevitable Understanding that controversy is a part of your environment, and accepting the fact that you must handle it, puts you in a good position to effectively handle it. Understand that two reasonable people can see the same situation from two completely different viewpoints. The reason for this is because we are all products of our environment, education, training, and experiences. As an example, experienced and well-trained officers may make a felony stop of a stolen car, using their loudspeaker, strong commands, and with guns drawn. When the occupants of the stolen vehicle turn out to be 13 and 14 years of age, some people may say the conduct of the police officers was unnecessary because “any police officer should be able to handle a 13-year-old child, without the use of their guns.” Perception—that’s really the issue in this case, as it is in most controversial cases. Face the Controversy Excellent commanders do not shy away from controversy. When confronted with a controversial situation and/or adverse media coverage, they face it head-on. They do not approach it as a win-or-lose situation. They simply face the issues involved in the controversy. Good commanders recognize that their officers have a difficult and demanding job to do in policing the sometimes “mean streets” of America. The police are routinely called upon to stop people from doing what they want to do, or to force them to do what they don’t want to do. This holds true in enforcing every aspect of the law. That makes the police the coercive arm of government. Police commanders need to understand that police work, by its nature, can put them in direct conflict with lawbreakers, special interest groups and the opinions of individual citizens. Do Your Homework While a controversy is still brewing, experienced commanders can read the storm clouds on the horizon. That’s the time to start asking questions of your people and gathering information. Be forceful. If warranted, launch an internal affairs investigation. Interview both commanders and line personnel. Gather incident reports and other facts and figures. There may be times when your expected controversy never arrives. Don’t worry about those rare circumstances because when a real controversy does arrive, your preparation will prove to be a huge asset for you and your department to successfully handle a controversial situation when it does arrive. Tell the Truth Unless the police conduct is so egregious as to shock the conscience, most controversial law enforcement situations can be settled with facts, time, and reason. Once the emotions of a situation are calmed by investigation, facts, and leadership, the most reasonable heads will prevail. In time, the issues fade or problems are corrected. However, when the department remains silent on an issue, or an actual cover-up is detected, the public and the media will keep the controversy alive until heads roll. Historically, the public will not tolerate a government cover-up or lies. So be sure that you have the facts and tell the truth to the public and media. Both will accept reasonable error, but they won’t accept cover- ups or lies. Choose Your Battles For any commander this issue is critical. All of the foregoing advice can help you make sound decisions on this “fight or flight” segment of handling a controversy. Investigating and doing your homework are steps in the right direction, but there may be other elements to consider in the controversy before making a final stand. You must examine your department’s actions, policies, and procedures in light of current personnel laws and recent court decisions. Commanders must know and understand the federal and state ends of the issue. However, another set of issues involve the local aspects of any controversial situation. In general, law enforcement is a localized subject. Policing in Plano, Texas is different from policing in Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago. The laws may be similar, but their applications and priorities may be very different. When handling a controversial situation, take local priorities, issues, and customs into consideration. And—as always—choose your battles well! Section 6 — Handling Conflict Yes, conflict is different from controversy, but the process for handling each is very similar. Human nature being what it is, conflict in the workplace is inevitable. However, your response to those conflicts can determine the success or failure of your operation and possibly the success or failure of your career. Conflict can arise anywhere in your organization. It may consist of long-term jealousies between two officers. A sergeant in charge of patrol operations may have a major disagreement with a sergeant in charge of covert operations over authority. It can even be a simple case of a personality conflict between two civilians who must still work together on joint projects, but who both work directly for you. Part of your job as a manager is to be alert for the presence of conflict among all of your people. Minor and temporary disagreements between people may not require mmediate action on your part. However, when minor conflicts escalate, and they threaten to disrupt operations, it’s time for you to step in and take some action. Once you recognize that a problem exists, it’s time to take action and meet the conflict head- on. However, even after you decide to take action, the way you approach and handle the situation is critical to your success or failure. To assist you, here are a few hints for handling a conflict situation. Decide What You Want to Accomplish Be realistic in setting this goal. You probably can’t force people to like each other. On the other hand, you can insist that they work in harmony toward a specific work objective. As an example, if the chief of investigations and the chief of administration have had a running feud for years, they probably won’t become best friends, even at your request. However, you can insist that they make arrangements to cooperate on a study to examine the effectiveness of the current investigations and follow up system. You can also set timetables and set out specific assignments for each. Once you decide what you want to accomplish, write down your objective and keep it handy. Then you can move on to the next step. Investigate the Problem Try to identify the source of the conflict. One of the best ways to do this is to casually discuss the situation with each party involved, individually. Find out how they perceive the situation. As with any investigation, make inquiries of other people who may know something about the situation to get the whole picture. Naturally, keep your inquiries as low key as possible, and keep the responses as confidential as possible. You may find that the parties involved are unaware that a problem exists. On the other hand, their reaction may indicate a bitter, long-term dislike between two people. Then again, there could simply be a single misunderstanding that has led to the conflict. When your investigation is complete, move on to the next phase. Call Together the People Who Can Best Settle the Issue Through your investigation, you should have identified the source of the problem. From that, you probably can identify the people who are involved, and those who can help settle the conflict. If it was a simple personality conflict between two officers, those two may be all that you need to resolve the issue. In the case of the conflict between the patrol sergeant and the covert operations sergeant over authority, you may need their lieutenant, the personnel officer, or others to help settle the conflict. Be Ready to Bargain People will be much more open to reason if they feel that there is some room for negotiation in resolving the situation. If your people feel that the session will merely be a “trip to the woodshed,” which will result in downward mandates and threats, they will not be willing to permanently resolve the conflict. However, if they feel there is room for negotiation and that you are open to a fair and just settlement, they will be much more willing to solve the problem on a permanent basis. Keep Your Objective Too often during an attempt to settle conflicts, the participants get sidetracked by other issues. During negotiations, refer to the objective you wrote down earlier when you decided what you wanted accomplished. Be sure the conversation and negotiations continue toward that objective. Avoid the Traps Don’t focus on the personalities involved, only on their performance. Don’t get emotionally involved, even though the participants may be. Don’t choose sides. Merely get to the root of the problem and negotiate a settlement. Focus on Mutually Beneficial Outcomes Everyone wants to come out of the meeting a winner. Therefore, direct the meeting so that everyone gains something, even if they have to give up something. If everyone leaves feeling that the conflict was resolved in their favor, th