Developing Law Enforcement Knowledge & Skills for the 21st Century
Reflections & Exemplary Work
Reflections & Exemplary Work
Being a successful law enforcement leader is no easy task. Modern police chiefs deal with an increasingly complex job that includes constantly growing demands for time and resources. Future Chiefs of Police will need to evaluate and seamlessly transition between leadership styles, be an excellent communicator with a high degree of technological expertise, and explain complex issues simply while looking for opportunities for transparency and collaboration.
My first paper, Opportunities for Success, began as an exercise to compare and contrast leadership styles. When viewed through the lens of the outgoing Honolulu Police Department (HPD) administration, this analysis offers a critical yet hopeful assessment of the challenges facing the next chief of police. The next chief must be able to simultaneously engage in strategic leadership and have the skills of both a transformational and a situational leader. Key to establishing and building trust with the community, these same characteristics have been pivotal in my past success in law enforcement leadership and my studies throughout the LEPSL program.
Above all, a police chief must be an effective communicator. I wrote the second paper from the perspective of a Public Information Officer. The assignment was to offer advice to the chief on how to best communicate with the public in response to four hypothetical situations unfolding at the same time (i.e., an officer arrested for on-duty criminal misconduct, the heroic actions of a second officer, the police union president speaking out, and an officer’s actions in response to a crowd control situation). By offering honest, transparent communication in response to these situations, the department has the opportunity to share information proactively.
In addition to verbal communication skills and the political acumen necessary to communicate with the media, law enforcement leaders must also be technology-savvy masters of social media messaging. My third paper provides an analysis of HPD’s social media presence. In addition to examining the department’s digital footprint, I identify areas of opportunity to improve its reach. Monitoring social media feeds from the department’s police dispatch center, implementing an online reporting system, and creating a FAQ page on its website would be proactive steps to developing transparent collaboration with the community.
Recent media reports and previous HPD administration missteps created a cloud of confusion regarding crime data in Honolulu. In the form of a YouTube video entitled “Honolulu Police Department Crime Clearance,” my final highlighted work offers a much-needed explanation of the environment in which this data exists. The presentation uses concrete examples to explore the interrelated nature of the department’s Records Management System, state-wide reporting systems and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Systems (SRS and NIBRS). I also highlight the need for better communication and collaborative transparency regarding crime data and recommend future publication of a department-specific NIBRS reporting mechanism.
Ultimately, the road to collaboration and proactive transparent communication can be challenging to navigate without the necessary skill set. The exemplary works in this section highlight the critical skills honed by my professional and educational experience that have prepared me for success as a 21st-century law enforcement leader.
My first paper, Opportunities for Success, began as an exercise to compare and contrast leadership styles. When viewed through the lens of the outgoing Honolulu Police Department (HPD) administration, this analysis offers a critical yet hopeful assessment of the challenges facing the next chief of police. The next chief must be able to simultaneously engage in strategic leadership and have the skills of both a transformational and a situational leader. Key to establishing and building trust with the community, these same characteristics have been pivotal in my past success in law enforcement leadership and my studies throughout the LEPSL program.
Above all, a police chief must be an effective communicator. I wrote the second paper from the perspective of a Public Information Officer. The assignment was to offer advice to the chief on how to best communicate with the public in response to four hypothetical situations unfolding at the same time (i.e., an officer arrested for on-duty criminal misconduct, the heroic actions of a second officer, the police union president speaking out, and an officer’s actions in response to a crowd control situation). By offering honest, transparent communication in response to these situations, the department has the opportunity to share information proactively.
In addition to verbal communication skills and the political acumen necessary to communicate with the media, law enforcement leaders must also be technology-savvy masters of social media messaging. My third paper provides an analysis of HPD’s social media presence. In addition to examining the department’s digital footprint, I identify areas of opportunity to improve its reach. Monitoring social media feeds from the department’s police dispatch center, implementing an online reporting system, and creating a FAQ page on its website would be proactive steps to developing transparent collaboration with the community.
Recent media reports and previous HPD administration missteps created a cloud of confusion regarding crime data in Honolulu. In the form of a YouTube video entitled “Honolulu Police Department Crime Clearance,” my final highlighted work offers a much-needed explanation of the environment in which this data exists. The presentation uses concrete examples to explore the interrelated nature of the department’s Records Management System, state-wide reporting systems and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Systems (SRS and NIBRS). I also highlight the need for better communication and collaborative transparency regarding crime data and recommend future publication of a department-specific NIBRS reporting mechanism.
Ultimately, the road to collaboration and proactive transparent communication can be challenging to navigate without the necessary skill set. The exemplary works in this section highlight the critical skills honed by my professional and educational experience that have prepared me for success as a 21st-century law enforcement leader.
