RE: October 2007 Survey—Do You Like Your Chief

I like mine. He's fair and doesn't ask you to do anything that he isn't willing to do or hasn't done before. When anyone one complains about an officer he asks the officer for their side before just automatically assuming the one complaining is telling the truth. He also requires any serious complaint to be written and sworn to before the magistrate (we haven't had many since he started doing that). He's gone to the council meetings for the entire department instead of just himself. He's gotten us some of the equipment that the old chief couldn't (or probably wouldn't) get for us. He lets us know when someone says something good about the department as a whole or an individual in it. He praises in public and critisizes in private when critisism is called for. In short, he treats us like he'd want to be treated if our roles were reversed.

Hail to the Chief...

Yeah...I think 76% is a pretty accurate number.

A good Chief must have a good sense of humor. My Chief has put me in stitches several occassions...and I really needed a good laugh. It relieves stress, helps the department develop a bond with each other, and keeps the operation positive. I love my Chief's sense of humor.

A good Chief will have good communication skills with his/her officers. You cannot have a good relationship with out good communication skills. If there is a break down, a good Chief will ask "why?" and fix the problem. Good Chiefs don't let problems swell in to big ugly monsters.

A good Chief takes care of his/her department like a family. If one hurts, we all hurt. There are many times something will happen and my civilian friends just don't understand. I will become quiet. I wait until I am around police friends and then it's a relief when they understand. I appreciate that about the police culture. And the culture is nutured by the people within the agency. A good leader will nuture a positive support system.

A good Chief will do his/her best to get the "tools" necessary for the department to function. My Chief did an outstanding job getting a grant for an electronic fingerprinting system. We needed it, and he just "got 'er done". A good Chief will also provide training as often as possible to his/her department.

A good Chief will be an active player by occassionally going out into the field. Things change over time, and skills need to be kept sharp...it is good for a Chief to occassionally work along side of the troops. It is excellent PR as well. Citizens think highly of a leader who's ass doesn't stay glued to an office chair.

A good Chief will keep up on field news, and technology and pass that info along to his/her officers staying educated about the issues and new findings in the law enforcement field. Police Officers should be both physically and intellectually fit.

Being a good police chief is a lot like being the "Big Daddy" or "Big Mama" of the house. You baby-sit your officers, and take care of your "family" protecting , nurturing, building up your flight (or platoon) of warriors for the constant battle we all face together. Hail to the Chief! You gotta stressful and complex job!

RE: October 2007 Survey—Do You Like Your Chief

Don't know if this question is posed to everyone but I never see our chief of police. I guess he's kind of like the Wizzard of Oz, he's some mysterious figure hiding behind a great curtain somewhere. I ocassionally see pictures of him in the newspapers, standing solemnly next to the officers. Maybe he's supposed to do that, I don't know. In neighboring DC, the Chief of Police is a very public person, a woman, Chief Lanier.