Welcome to POLICE’s 2022 special coverage of innovative law enforcement leaders. On the following pages you will find profiles of 10 officers who are taking new or particularly creative approaches to police leadership and to providing security for their communities.

This project began in June when we contacted chiefs’ and sheriff’s associations nationwide and asked their members for nominations. Specifically, we were looking for programs that enhanced officer safety, officer morale, officer productivity, crime prevention and response, and community relations. Some of the issues that we wanted to address included: leadership development, technology applications, recruiting and retention programs, training courses, crime prevention campaigns, and community relations initiatives.

The response was excellent. So on the following pages you will find stories of adapting technology to fight crime in a small town, using a personal ordeal to help victims and officers, officer emotional and physical wellness programs, officer safety measures, decentralized leadership structures, peer support projects, community relations strategies, and more.

We hope these articles will give current police leaders and future police leaders ideas they can use to benefit their officers, their agencies, and the communities they serve.

Thank you to all who sent in information on their programs.

AGENCIES FEATURED

Alliance (NE) Police Department 

Morris Township (NJ) Police Department

Niles (IL) Police Department    

Norwood (MA) Police Department    

Sanford (ME) Police Department    

Sheridan (CO) Police Department    

Tulane University Police    

Village of Palmyra (WI) DPS    

West Orange (NJ) Police Department    

Willard (MO) Police Department