Monthly Archives: August 2014

6 Ways to Positively Influence Officer Behavior

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Every law enforcement organization in the world has that “slug” or “lazy cop” that no longer goes above and beyond. Maybe above and beyond is even too much of an expectation. You know, the officer that occasionally causes you to wonder if you need to put a mirror under his/her nose to make sure they are still breathing. Unfortunately, the vast majority of officers that fall into this category are a product of their environment. An environment created by or allowed to be by their leadership.

These officers have been allowed to be in this useless state for so long because no one has ever held them accountable on a consistent basis for their actions, or lack thereof. Naturally, most cops want to do great work, but when allowed to become complacent or unmotivated, they become a blight on the whole department.

In the book EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey he writes, “If you as a leader allow people to halfway do their jobs and don’t demand excellence as a prerequisite to keeping their job, you will create a culture of mediocrity.”

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The bad news is that you cannot change people. Only they can decide to change themselves through their actions, attitude, and effort. So, the question becomes what can you change? The answer is the environment.

By making consistent, incremental positive changes in the environment, you can alter the behaviors of your officers. Here are 6 things you can start doing tomorrow to change your squad’s environment and create lasting on-the-job behavioral changes.

  1. Recognize and reward the positive actions and attitudes of your officers. When you see something great, recognize it immediately and find a way to reward it. Other officers will see that success and then begin to duplicate that behavior. A hand written note, a shout-out in briefing, buying them a coffee, getting them into a training they wanted, or speaking positively about them to upper staff are easy ways to reward positive behaviors.
  2. Have your officers submit weekly or monthly goals to you and find ways to assist them in reaching those goals. Ask your officers for specific and measurable goals related to current issues in their beats. For example, spending more time in a neighborhood hit hard by property crimes, working extra traffic enforcement on a stretch of road that has had a lot of collisions, meeting business owners in their beat, etc. Use these goals as a springboard for consistent interaction and evaluation. If you let them leave briefing just to drive circles until a call comes out, then you are doing them, yourself, the department, and the community a disservice.
  3. Discover each of your officers’ policing passion. Turn them into the “go to” expert on your squad by sending them to passion-specific trainings and giving them temporary duty assignments with related specialty units. This will develop their strength in that area and set them up for future success as they test for those specialty units or promote.
  4. Establish clear squad expectations that correlate with your department’s mission. You know what a “rock star” officer looks like. Share that vision with your squad regularly – what constitutes success should not be a guessing game. Need a suggestion for setting squad expectations? See the Culture in Just 4 Words blog.
  5. Conduct frequent evaluation conversations that do not merely glance back at the past, but are primarily future-focused. Most, if not all, police departments require annual evaluations, but do not let that be the only feedback your officers receive. It does little to no good to bring up negatives from 11 months ago; especially if there is no longer an issue. Discuss issues immediately by defining the problem, reinforcing your expectations, and setting specific changes you want to see from this point forward. If your officers are exhibiting positive behaviors, refer back to #1 on this list.
  6. Get officer buy-in by giving them a voice to make suggestions for improvement. Create a method where officers can submit suggestions for their squad, beat, district, or the department as a whole. This gives you a great way to handle and issues brought up in conversation or during briefing. Just advise them to send you an email with a suggested solution for the perceived problem. Then, as the sergeant or first-line supervisor, you present those suggestions to the appropriate department parties. One extremely important piece to this concept is to always remember to give credit where credit is due.

What ideas do you have for changing officer behavior by modifying their environment?

Share your thoughts or comments with us below or on our Facebook page. Continue saving the world one call at a time and as always, LEAD ON!

The mission at Thin Blue Line of Leadership is to share positive leadership tactics with the field of law enforcement. Positive leadership starts by building a positive squad culture. A positive squad culture nurtures your officer’s motivation and passion which, in turn, results in positive productivity and interactions with the community.

Saving the World One Call at a Time

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“We see the world, not as it is, but as we are – or, as we are conditioned to see it.” ~Stephen R. Covey

Creating the lens through which your officers view their “policing world” is one of the most valuable lessons a law enforcement leader can provide. Engraining the philosophy that they are “saving the world one call at a time” conditions them into viewing their “policing world” through a positive and successful lens.

As the sergeant or first-line supervisor, you are responsible for establishing the lens of your squad. Whether it is positive or negative is determined by you. Reminding your squad on a regular basis that they are “saving the world one call at a time” sets a positive tone. You alone have the contact, communication, and connection with your officers to consistently remind them why they do what they do. If an officer loses their “why” then they lose their “way.” Don’t let that happen!

Convincing your officers that they are “saving the world one call as a time” sends four very valuable messages . . .

SAVING THE WORLD

1. Your work has value. “Saving the world” . . . Every call an officer responds to or initiates has value. Responding to a commercial alarm call gives the business owner security. Making traffic stops enhances roadway safety. Helping with a disabled vehicle, taking a theft report, settling a family fight . . . value, value, value. Never allow yourself to say that your officers are “just doing their job.” If they are saving the world, can their work have any more value?

2. Passion for policing is essential. “Saving the world” . . . Passion should not be discouraged, but encouraged. Finding your officers’ strengths and helping them to develop in those areas will create passion. Passion solidifies their purpose both on your squad and in the department. Passion brings officers to work enthusiastically, not just for a check. Passion generates production without having to set quotas or make demands. Passion makes better officers.

ONE CALL AT A TIME

3. Focus on each call. “One call at a time” . . . The call they are on should be your officers’ sole focus. Each and every call presents its own unique challenges and circumstances. Law enforcement establishes policy and creates training in the name of officer safety as a matter of routine, but if the focus is not there, then all of the policy and training in the world will not matter. Use “saving the world one call at a time” as a reminder of the importance to maintain focus while handle calls properly the first time so they do not become recurring issues.

4. Do not let the negatives compound. “One call at a time” . . . No one gets to see what we see or do what we do. This can be both very positive and very negative. It is vital that you speak with your officers regularly about the mentally tough calls they respond to so the negativity does not build up on the psyche. Watch for subtle behavioral signs that negativity is weighing on them. Combat negativity by rewarding and recognizing the positive behaviors and effort that come out while handling a negative call. Say something like, “Hey, I know that was a really tough call, but you did a phenomenal job handing the situation. I’m proud to have you on the squad.” Just a quick line like that takes all of the weight out of the call and opens up a great line of communication between you and the officer.

“Saving the world one call at a time” needs to be a mental brand that is impressed upon your officers early and often. Having a consistent message for everyone to rally around while handling the daily grind of policing develops the unity that is needed for a positive squad culture.

Does your squad have a positive philosophy to rally around?

Share your thoughts or comments with us below or on our Facebook page. Continue saving the world one call at a time and as always, LEAD ON!

3 Keys to Squad Expectation Success

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The mission at Thin Blue Line of Leadership is to share positive leadership tactics within law enforcement. Positive leadership starts by creating a positive squad culture. In order to develop a positive squad culture, everything starts with the actions, attitude, and effort demonstrated by the sergeant or first-line supervisor on a day in, day out basis. They must demonstrate TRUST, CONSISTENCY, and SUPPORT for any positive squad culture to take hold . . .

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1. TRUST – To do what is necessary to develop a positive squad culture, you must trust in the process of creating culture and the success that it can bring your squad. If you do not buy into it completely, then neither will your officers. Trusting in the process means keeping your sights set on the goal and not being distracted by outcomes. A positive and productive squad culture serves in the best interest of both the department and the community. Consider what your 4 Words of Culture would be and then do what is necessary to start moving in that direction.

It will take time, there will be difficulties, there will be dissent, and until it is solidly established will require constant effort from you. Ultimately, what you get out of it will be well worth the time and effort given because your officers will succeed and enjoy being a part of a squad on a mission to serve. What 4 words would you want the culture of your squad to be described as?

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2. CONSISTENCY – For anything to be effective, it must be practiced consistently. Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers” postulates that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at anything. Accomplishing the goal of creating a positive and productive squad culture that serves in the best interest of the community is no different. Being with the same squad for 10,000 hours is highly unlikely; so you must make every hour you are with your squad count.

Whatever the 4 words are you would want your squad to be describe as, they must be referred to on a consistent basis so your squad witnesses the trust and value you place in it. Establishing it starts by introducing the model to your squad, clearly explaining each piece, giving examples from previously shared experiences, and then explaining how it will define their actions and attitudes in the future. Finally, demonstrate its usage on a routine basis when out handling calls with your squad, dealing with citizen complaints, writing evaluations, and assessing production. The power of a defined culture is established by routinely reminding officers that this framework is the expectation that governs everything they do, how they react to situations, and how success will be evaluated.

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3. SUPPORT – Every great structure begins with support. Whether it is a simple card house, residence, or skyscraper; without a properly established support structure, it is only a matter of time before it crumbles to the ground. To support the desired culture, you must establish the support structure and continue to build it up over time. Start by posting the 4 words in your briefing room, or at least near your desk, so your officers see it on a daily basis. This shows value in the model and serves as a constant reminder of your squad’s belief system.

Should issues or situations that are in conflict with the expectations arise, address them promptly and in a direct manner. Being direct does not mean being rude as long as the conversation serves for the betterment of the officer and contains no ulterior motives. Address the conflict by discussing the issue/situation using the exact expectations and terminology born out of the model – Positivity, Activity, Teamwork, and Students.

The TBL Leader must be out in the field as much as possible demonstrating the application of the 4 words chosen to describe your culture. When you catch one of your officers properly applying the model, it is vital that they are recognized for doing so. Reward behaviors you want repeated! John Lubbock once said, “What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” Are you looking for the good or the bad when in the field with your officers? Each shift, the TBL Leader needs to go out looking for behaviors worth rewarding. Once your officers see what winning looks like under your supervision, they will reciprocate those actions and attitudes. If there is one trait that defines police officers, it is that they like to win. Show them how.

What else would you need to do to implement a positive squad culture?

Share your thoughts or comments with us below or on our Facebook page. Continue saving the world one call at a time and as always, LEAD ON!