For any person involved in law enforcement, it is very challenging to navigate the obstacles and the problems that are presented in today’s environment.
As this industry confronts these trials, all agencies need to have strong ethical leaders who act with a thorough understanding of the facts. Now is not the time to hide or to not engage with the issues that are being raised. From this turmoil, a strong leader must see this as an opportunity to change so that all parties benefit from any unfortunate events of the past.
There needs to be a course correction for the industry that should direct it back to the fundamentals of law enforcement. Most significantly, a person who decides to undertake a career in law enforcement must acknowledge that it is a profession based on a mission to serve others no matter what that person may look like or their personal or religious beliefs. An officer must “blindly” serve any person in need.
Moreover, a person who undertakes this task must understand there will never be enough compensation to match the risk that he or she may encounter and that financial compensation should not be the motivating factor to undertake this career. The concept of a “mission of service” must be reaffirmed to any individual deciding to become a police officer.
As for acknowledgment and recognition of the sacrifices that will be made during their career, officers should not expect to find it in law enforcement. A cursory review of any media source will quickly demonstrate that the coverage of law enforcement is focused almost exclusively on the minuscule portion of the industry involving “bad” or “questionable” conduct of a few individuals.
After understanding and accepting this essential mission, an officer must also acknowledge that he or she should be guided by a “moral compass” that is always pointed toward “true north.” An officer must come to understand that even though many in society serve their own needs and appear to never be held accountable for their conduct, that will never justify an officer to do the same in their own lives. They must be the “bright light on the hill” and ethically lead in the communities they serve. It is with this moral compass that an officer will be motivated to stop those who commit wrongs upon innocent people.
An agency must hire people that have these two concepts embedded in their thoughts and their actions. An agency must build upon that drive to serve and to provide their people with the resources and the right type of training to assist in their mission of service.
A key component to the success of law enforcement is to provide, on a consistent basis, good training to guide people through the challenging and sometimes dangerous environment of law enforcement. This type of training should cover emotional intelligence, tactical and respectful communication skills, and proper force applications by law enforcement personnel.
Command staff of all police agencies must remember that an agency is only as good as the people it hires and the training it consistently provides to officers. If one fails on either component, an agency shall fail the people it was meant to serve.
