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Findings Report:

Solutions for the Anywhere Police Department

Gregory Deger

Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership

LEPS-540: Organizational Leadership

Dr. Ygnacio Flores

June 25, 2021

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INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW

The city of Anywhere, USA has asked for findings and recommendations for issues facing

their police department. The desired end state is to, “(recommend) actions that should be

implemented to bring about organizational harmony, thus allowing the department to go forward

in a positive manner.”i This report explaining the issues and proposed solutions is intended to be

presented to the Anywhere City Council, as well as the Anywhere Police Department Command

Staff. However, the report is not solely for their review. Rather, it is desired that the report be

disseminated throughout the department to increase the amount of learning, cooperation,

communication, and growth.

The stated issues facing the police department at the time of this writing are as follows:

PROBLEM STATEMENT(S)

a. Members of the department say the leaders are failing to provide a clear direction

for the agency and the members.

b. There is a lack of communication throughout the agency.

c. Favoritism is shown when either promotions or selection to elite positions.

d. Leaders hold members of the department “accountable” yet do not hold

themselves accountable.

e. Leaders have their “go to” people and have little time or energy for those outside

of their circle or team.

f. Discipline has been perceived to be disparate. Members have been held to one

standard while leaders have acted unethically and not been held to the same

standard.

g. Numerous chain of command violations have taken place where one leader gives

direction while another leader gives countermanding or conflicting instructions.

h. There is a lack of planning or foresight into future needs of the department.

i. There are numerous false starts and no execution or completion of plans.

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PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

NOTE: It is important to understand that the recommendations that follow are based on

good faith that the issues communicated above are true and accurate. It is acknowledged that

the collection of this information amounts to “only hearing one side of the story”. In order to truly

grasp the issues at hand, follow-up investigation including, but not limited to: Command Staff

interviews, tours of the police department facilities, ride-alongs, and a department-wide survey

would need to be conducted.

An understanding of the Adaptive Leadership theory, outlined in the book The Practice

of Adaptive Leadership by Ronald Heifetz, Marty Linsky, and Alexander Grashow, will help

greatly in understanding the issues confronting the Anywhere Police Department. Adaptive

Leadership, among other ideas, posits that issues can be broken up into two distinct groupings,

technical problems, and adaptive challenges. Technical problems are solved using pre-

determined responses. An example would be issuing a new policy or procedure that will solve

the issue at hand. Adaptive challenges are more vague, deep-rooted, and/or systemic. There

are no pre-existing procedures to address them. With these problems, an adaptive leader will

define the problem, then mobilize co-workers or subordinates to develop possible solutions. The

important take away is this: adaptive challenges cannot be solved with technical solutions.

An important aspect of adaptive leadership is the idea of building solutions from pre-

existing foundations, when appropriate. Basically, there is no need to “re-invent the wheel”. At

the same time, change is not done simply for change’s sake, “Each person, each country, each

organization is challenged to sift through the wisdom and know-how of their heritage, to take the

best from their histories, leave behind lessons that no longer serve them, and innovate, not

change’s sake, but for the sake of conserving and preserving the values and competence they

find most essential and precious.”ii

Armed with an understanding of technical problems versus adaptive challenges, the next

step in finding solutions to Anywhere PD’s reported issues is appropriate categorization of the
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issues. Although a total of 9 main issues were reported (Issues A – I), there are many

overlapping concerns with similar underlying foundational problems. As such multiple reported

issues can be addressed with the same proposed solution(s). In this way, the report seeks to be

as efficient in its findings as possible. The issues have been grouped as follows:

GROUPING OF ISSUES

Issue A and Issue G:

a. “Members of the department say the leaders are failing to provide a clear

direction for the agency and the members.”

g. “Numerous chain of command violations have taken place where one leader

gives direction while another leader gives countermanding or conflicting

instructions.”

Commonalities: Lack of direction, guidance, and clearly articulated leaders’ intent.

Discussion: Adoption of the military concept of Commander’s Intent is important to addressing

this issue. The Commander’s Intent is usually a one to two sentence segment of a larger

operations order. It is very clearly not micromanagement. Instead, it is clear and concise

guidance to subordinates as to what the desired end state is for the operation, while allowing

the subordinates the freedom to plan and coordinate however they choose to meet that intent. It

serves as a guiding beacon in the “fog of war”. Mickey Williams, an Assistant Chief of Police at

Carlsbad Police Department, gave a great example of what “right” looks like in this area while

discussing his department’s approach to the COVID pandemic, saying, “ “We thought, if as a

command staff we can articulate a mission, then all the different things we have to deal with

through this challenge, every decision point we have, if we go back to our mission, we'll know if

the decision is going to put us closer in line with our mission and our objectives, or not. If it

does, we'll pursue it, if it doesn't, we won't, but we had to be clear on what our mission and what

our objective was.”iii

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Solution(s): It is recommended that a clearly defined Task Organization chart spelling out the

chain(s) of command within the department be established. Additionally, each position at the

department should have a “Roles and Responsibilities” document associated with it, as well as

a continuity binder pursuant to succession planning when turnover occurs at a position. These

documents should be developed by those currently responsible for them (i.e. the Command

Staff should develop the Task Organization chart, the Property Crimes Detective Sergeant

should develop the roles and responsibilities list for their position, etc.). The development of

these products will be a department-wide endeavor. As such, an explanation of the need for this

project, as well as the expectations and guidance for completion, should come from all

members of the Command Staff during in-person meetings with all department members.

Lastly, all products will be digital and saved in a department “share drive” for quick access and

reference. This will accomplish a “reset” of the command structure and eliminate ambiguity in

guidance.

Issue B and Issue H and Issue I:

b. “There is a lack of communication throughout the agency.”

h. “There is a lack of planning or foresight into future needs of the department.”

i. “There are numerous false starts and no execution or completion of plans.”

Commonalities: Poor communication and lack of vision/follow through.

Discussion: The IMPACT model is a communication approach outlined in the book Law

Enforcement Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Management – The IMPACT Model by

Brian Fitch. IMPACT is an acronym meaning Identify and manage emotions, Master the story,

Promote positive behaviors, Achieve rapport, Control your response, and Take perspective.iv

With the communication issues raised, this book should become mandatory reading for the

entire department. Additionally, the idea of Participative Management is also an important

concept for Anywhere PD leadership to understand. This leadership strategy, “involves

management treating the ideas and suggestions of employees with consideration and respect.”v
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Lastly, the concept of leadership versus management needs to be understood by the Anywhere

PD Command Staff. “Management consists of controlling a group or a set of entities to

accomplish a goal. Leadership refers to an individual’s ability to influence, motivate, and enable

others to contribute toward organizational success. Influence and inspiration separate leaders

from managers, not power and control.”vi

Solution(s): It is recommended that a department-wide survey be conducted to identify specific

issues and solutions. The survey will draw from what is now called the Gallup Q12 Employee

Engagement Survey, which was first introduced in the book First, Break all the Rules by Marcus

Buckingham and Curt Coffmanvii. By doing this, the survey will chart not only leadership quality,

but issues such as opportunities for professional growth, quality of training, suitability of

equipment and facilities, and other important factors. This survey will accomplish two main

goals. The first being the improvement of communication by giving value to the voices of all

employees. The second goal achieved will be the identification of the greatest needs of the

department to influence where emphasis needs to be placed on future planning. This survey will

should be conducted annually to allow for the charting of improvement, or lack thereof. It is

recommended that one-half hour of overtime be authorized for each employee to complete the

survey to show the seriousness with which department leadership values employee input, and

also to encourage employee participation. Lastly, the formation of committees should be

instituted wherever possible to encourage increased buy-in, idea formation, and accountability.

Issue C and Issue E:

c. “Favoritism is shown when either promotions or selection to elite positions.”

e. “Leaders have their “go to” people and have little time or energy for those outside

of their circle or team.”

Commonalities: Perceived favoritism and lack of meritocracy.

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Discussion: An important concept to understand when tackling these issues is the idea of

transformational versus transactional leadership. In From Transactional to Transformational

Leadership: Learning to Share the Vision, Bernard Bass writes the following about transactional

leadership, “(in this style), the leader gets things done by making, and fulfilling, promises of

recognition, pay increases, and advancement for employees who perform well. By contrast,

employees who do not do good work are penalized.” Conversely, Bass describes

transformational leadership as such, ““Superior leadership performance — transformational

leadership — occurs when leaders broaden and elevate the interests of their employees, when

they generate awareness and acceptance of the purposes and mission of the group, and when

they stir their employees to look beyond their own self-interest for the good of the group.”viii

Solution(s): It is recommended that a Sergeant’s Movement Program be instituted. This would

designate half of all Sergeant positions to be solely seniority-based. Additionally, oral boards

should be the standard (never one on one interviews) for specialized assignments. Employees

unions should also be consulted regarding forms of oversight that can be emplaced on selection

processes.

Issue D and Issue F:

d. “Leaders hold members of the department “accountable” yet do not hold

themselves accountable.”

f. “Discipline has been perceived to be disparate. Members have been held to one

standard while leaders have acted unethically and not been held to the same

standard.”

Commonalities: Lack of accountability and disparate discipline

Discussion: Rich Rocchi, retired Deputy Police Chief of Long Beach PD, addressed the issue of

disparate discipline and lack of accountability as follows, “the unethical leaders that I’ve worked

with, they’re divisive. They divide an organization. They divide command staff. They create an

“us versus them” organization.  Which is devastating for an organization in many different
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areas…because your morale starts to get impacted to a point where you don’t want to do right

by the organization because you see the leaders of that organization not doing right by you.”ix

Solution(s): It is recommended that Jocko Willink’s book Extreme Ownershipx be designated as

mandatory reading throughout the department. Additionally, a meeting should be arranged with

the command staff and representatives from Mr. Willink’s consultancy company, Echelon Front,

prior to a department-wide training put on by the same representatives. For disciplinary

measures, increased transparency must take place in the Professional Standards Unit. If not,

the next step would be involvement of an outside oversight entity, whether that be at the city

leadership level (i.e. City Manager’s office), a civilian oversight committee, or similar entities.

CONCLUSION

The recommended solutions outlined above draw from many different leadership

theories, approaches, and styles. The issues, although varying in their origins and natures, all

start and stop with leadership. Strong, capable leaders will have the ability to address and

correct the issues, or the perception of the presence of issues. Weak leaders will allow the

issues to fester and grow unchecked. Because leadership is the single most important key to

solving the problems at the Anywhere Police Department, this report will conclude by revisiting

adaptive leadership.

Adaptive leadership is a joint endeavor. It requires teamwork and collective problem

solving at all levels of the chain of command. However, a strong central leader is essential to

the success of any entity. Examining adaptive leadership from an individual perspective reveals

certain traits that adaptive leaders should possess/display, including:

 Being open to risk-taking and experimentation.

 Practicing ownership of mistakes, and a willingness to change course when

necessary. (sunk cost vs. prospective cost)

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 The ability to create an environment that encourages a wide range of views,

taking collective knowledge and using it to the organization’s benefit.

 Planning for expected reluctant behavior from co-workers.

 The capacity to link the main values, abilities, and hopes of the stakeholders

involved to the change desired at the organizational level.

 Liking and encouraging innovation among employees.

 A grasp on the concept that change can be slow, especially when there are

parties reluctant to (or actively working against) that change. The leader must be

proactive, persistent, and willing to stand up to pressures.

To quote from The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, “What is needed from a leadership

perspective are new forms of improvisational expertise, a kind of process expertise that knows

prudently how to experiment with never-been-tried-before relationships, means of

communication, and ways of interacting that will help people develop solutions that build upon

and surpass the wisdom of today’s experts.”xi

The leadership of the Anywhere Police Department must set aside ego, open

themselves to constructive criticism and humility, reach out to all members of their department

to work collaboratively, and take the recommendations of this report seriously while moving

toward implementation of solutions.

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REFERENCES:
i
LEPS 540 – Organizational Leadership for Law Enforcement. (2021). Syllabus. University of San Diego.

Heifetz, R. Grashow, A. Linksy, M. (2009, May 18). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for
ii

Changing Your Organization and the World. Harvard Business Press.

Williams, M. (2021). Fostering Collaboration and Teamwork During COVID-19 – Interview with Mickey
iii

Williams, Assistant Chief of Carlsbad PD. USD LEPS 540 Presentation 6.1.

Fitch, B. (2015, September 25). Law Enforcement Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Management.
iv

SAGE Publications, Inc.

v
McMillan, A. (2021). Participative Management. Reference for Business. Retrieved from
https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Or-Pr/Participative-Management.html on 2021, May 26.
vi
Nayar, V. (2013, August 2). Three Differences Between Managers and Leaders. Harvard Business Review.
vii
Buckingham, M. Coffman, C. (2014, February 2). First, Break all the Rules. Gallup Press.
viii
Bass, B. (1990). From Transactional to Transformational Leadership: Learning to Share the
Vision. Organizational Dynamics, vol. 18, no. 3.

Rocchi, R. (2021). Ethics and Accountability in Leadership – Interview with Rich Rocchi, Retired Deputy Police
ix

Chief, Long Beach PD. USD LEPS 540 Presentation 7.1.

x
Willink, J. (2015, October 20). Extreme Ownership. St. Martin’s Press.

Heifetz, R. Grashow, A. Linksy, M. (2009, May 18). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for
xi

Changing Your Organization and the World. Harvard Business Press.