Effective Police Leadership: Experiences and Perspectives of Law Enforcement Leaders
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin › Vol. 77 Nbr. 7, July 2008
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Summary
Contemporary discussions about patrol personnel suggest that "every officer is a leader."' Agencies desire frontline employees who can lead citizens during chaotic situations, facilitate and direct problem-solving activities, and make neighborhoods safer. STUDY PARTICIPANTS While serving as a visiting researcher in the Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy, the author surveyed National Academy (NA) attendees to assess their views of and experiences with leadership.2 Over a 12-month period, he gave these command-level law enforcement officers the opportunity to complete a brief questionnaire during their first week in residence.3 Out of about 1,000 NA attendees, approximately three-quarters completed the survey, which asked them to describe effective leadership, discuss how it could be measured, consider their experiences with leadership, suggest how to develop it, and identify the traits and habits of effective and ineffective police leaders.
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Extract
Effective Police Leadership: Experiences and Perspectives of Law Enforcement Leaders
Leadership represents a crucial determinant of police organizational efficacy. Supervisors and others in formal positions of power must engage, motivate, and guide subordinates, community members, and other local officials. The evolving vision of patrol officers has led to a rethinking of the role of leadership even among those not possessing conventional supervisory control. Contemporary discussions about patrol personnel suggest that "every officer is a leader."' Agencies desire frontline employees who can lead citizens during chaotic situations, facilitate and direct problem-solving activities, and make neighborhoods safer.
Despite the centrality of leadership within policing, the vast majority of what is written about the subject uses data developed in other occupational and professional contexts, especially the military and corporate worlds. While some aspects of organizations and leadership may translate easily into public...See the full content of this document
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