Ethical and Effective Leadership
Reflections & Exemplary Work
Reflections & Exemplary Work
American author John Holt wrote, “The true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do.” [i] Holt captures the essence of integrity and acting ethically by alluding to the set of morals and beliefs that guide us in our personal and professional lives. Today’s law enforcement leaders have an affirmative duty to protect and develop their personnel and department from within and to be outward-facing leaders in their communities.
For my first paper, Analyzing Leadership and Management Styles, I sat down with Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard days before she retired from the Honolulu Police Department (HPD). Chief Ballard discussed her leadership philosophy and how it applied to her decision-making. Ultimately, Chief Ballard appears to have become overwhelmed by increased calls for transparency in policing and the COVID-19 pandemic and lost track of her stated leadership ideals. Her challenge emphasizes the need to develop ethical pillars of leadership and the importance of relying on them when making decisions, especially during challenging times.
I examined the HPD’s annual budget in my next paper, specifically relating to the department’s strategic plan. I highlight the need to keep budgetary priorities strictly aligned with departmental goals and underscore the vital role of keeping plans updated. Without their constant maintenance as living documents, leaders may miss budgetary opportunities to fight crime and advance collaborative relationships. Through this exploration, I also documented a significant opportunity to increase transparency by reporting on the annual spending plan as well as the actual execution of the department’s budget.
The third paper, Defending Officers’ Right to Privacy, was written as a memorandum to the Chief of Police, limited to 500 words or less, responding to a fictional scenario. In the scenario, amidst public calls for transparency, the Chief is considering releasing the pre-employment psychological evaluations of officers involved in a critical incident and has asked for my counsel. The advice provided is based on existing United States Supreme Court case law, the Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the Hawaii State Constitution. It concisely emphasizes that while public servants must be transparent, the ethical thing to do is to block the disclosure and protect the employee’s rights as citizens first and foremost.
In the fall of 2020, a local media published a story about the HPD’s crime clearance statistics. The department committed a cardinal sin of modern-day police leadership, and declined comment. My final paper explains the events that led up to the story, critically analyzes the role HPD’s administration played in the controversy and offers insight into why the topic became conflated. It also discusses several ethically-based alternative approaches that may have helped build trust with the Honolulu Police Commission and the public, rather than cause it further damage. Ultimately, ethical leaders must take responsibility for the situation, address issues to foster improvement, and keep the community informed.
With increasing calls for police transparency, ethical and effective leadership in law enforcement has never been more critical. These writing samples highlight the role transparent, honest communication can play in resolving conflicts collaboratively and, perhaps most importantly, ethically.
[i] Holt, John. How Children Fail. New York: Pitman Publishing Corp. 1964
For my first paper, Analyzing Leadership and Management Styles, I sat down with Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard days before she retired from the Honolulu Police Department (HPD). Chief Ballard discussed her leadership philosophy and how it applied to her decision-making. Ultimately, Chief Ballard appears to have become overwhelmed by increased calls for transparency in policing and the COVID-19 pandemic and lost track of her stated leadership ideals. Her challenge emphasizes the need to develop ethical pillars of leadership and the importance of relying on them when making decisions, especially during challenging times.
I examined the HPD’s annual budget in my next paper, specifically relating to the department’s strategic plan. I highlight the need to keep budgetary priorities strictly aligned with departmental goals and underscore the vital role of keeping plans updated. Without their constant maintenance as living documents, leaders may miss budgetary opportunities to fight crime and advance collaborative relationships. Through this exploration, I also documented a significant opportunity to increase transparency by reporting on the annual spending plan as well as the actual execution of the department’s budget.
The third paper, Defending Officers’ Right to Privacy, was written as a memorandum to the Chief of Police, limited to 500 words or less, responding to a fictional scenario. In the scenario, amidst public calls for transparency, the Chief is considering releasing the pre-employment psychological evaluations of officers involved in a critical incident and has asked for my counsel. The advice provided is based on existing United States Supreme Court case law, the Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the Hawaii State Constitution. It concisely emphasizes that while public servants must be transparent, the ethical thing to do is to block the disclosure and protect the employee’s rights as citizens first and foremost.
In the fall of 2020, a local media published a story about the HPD’s crime clearance statistics. The department committed a cardinal sin of modern-day police leadership, and declined comment. My final paper explains the events that led up to the story, critically analyzes the role HPD’s administration played in the controversy and offers insight into why the topic became conflated. It also discusses several ethically-based alternative approaches that may have helped build trust with the Honolulu Police Commission and the public, rather than cause it further damage. Ultimately, ethical leaders must take responsibility for the situation, address issues to foster improvement, and keep the community informed.
With increasing calls for police transparency, ethical and effective leadership in law enforcement has never been more critical. These writing samples highlight the role transparent, honest communication can play in resolving conflicts collaboratively and, perhaps most importantly, ethically.
[i] Holt, John. How Children Fail. New York: Pitman Publishing Corp. 1964