The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | September 2024
Continued from previous page retiring early or reaching standard retirement years of service . We are all extremely grateful for their commitment and certainly believe they should enjoy their retirement , the mass exodus of so much experience and knowledge poses a significant issue for most law enforcement organizations and the communities they serve . At the same time , there is a growing retention issue in the force as well . A lot of younger officers are leaving the field in order to pursue other ventures in the private sector .
These concerns are often addressed by offering solutions like higher pay , more time off , and other monetary rewards or benefits . While those options may be beneficial , they don ’ t address the root cause of the issue . Significant attrition is almost always a direct result of poor leadership . There are so many ways you can evaluate and address recruitment and retention problems by applying specific Extreme Ownership leadership tools . Here are a few examples .
Cover and Move The first Law of Combat is Cover and Move . This is a gun-fighting tactic , but if you think about what Cover and Move is at its core , it is teamwork . When we teach Cover and Move , we focus on the most important aspect that allows personnel within teams to work together effectively : relationships . People who have good relationships tend to better support one another , and enjoy working together despite challenging work environments , than those who do not . One of the key components of building a solid relationship is for the other person to know and believe that you care about them . When your team believes that you care about them , they will do almost anything for you . However , if your team does not feel that you care about them , it will become much easier for them to find a reason to leave . So , to avoid bad attrition , start by building better relationships with your teammates . We have seen a number of examples in recent years of police officers who were satisfied with their jobs despite significant challenges to their departments when they had leaders they trusted who cared about them .
Decentralized Command Decentralized Command is the fourth Law of Combat , and we define it simply as : “ Everyone Leads .” Culture is the ultimate form of Decentralized Command , and creating a strong culture can absolutely contribute to a reduction in negative attrition . How do you create a culture that everyone wants to be a part of — one where the team and the mission come first ?
First , you must ensure alignment on the strategic mission . This starts with seeking to understand the motivations of the individuals on the team . Why did they choose to serve in law enforcement ? What is their “ why ?” Then , you must ensure that the team members understand the overall organization ’ s strategic mission and how it connects to their “ why .” Being in law enforcement , you actually have a unique advantage in this area . Some companies in the business world sometimes struggle to create a meaningful mission statement , beyond making money for shareholders , that ties to the impact they provide for the good of the general public . But , in law enforcement , your mission is extremely admirable , and it is easy to get behind . At the same time , though , you cannot assume that people understand that mission . With the immense daily challenges faced by many in law enforcement , it is easy for officers to forget why they chose to serve and protect their communities . It is your job as a leader to remind them and continuously reinforce to them the impact that they provide and the difference they make every day . Ensure they understand how the things they are asked to do have a clear connection to the strategic mission and their why .
Discipline Discipline Equals Freedom . This is a mindset we teach at Echelon Front — part of what we call our Mindsets for Victory . As counterintuitive as it may seem , the only pathway to freedom is through discipline . One of the best ways you can take care of your people is through discipline . As we established earlier , if your team knows that you care about them , they are less likely to leave . However , some leaders make the mistake of thinking that less discipline and a more relaxed environment will actually create a culture of people who are happier and who won ’ t want to leave . This can sometimes get out of control and create a culture that no one wants to be a part of because no one has a purpose , and people don ’ t feel safe . While you do have to give people slack and ensure they can decompress when they need a break from time to time , the best thing you can do to take care of your officers is to hold the standards high and make the training difficult so that they are ready for the life-and-death challenges they may face on the job . You have to modulate this and not go overboard with pushing training too hard . And you absolutely have to explain the why behind everything you ask of them . But , if done correctly , high standards and challenging training will ensure the team can perform at a high level , embrace the toughest situations they must face , and be successful while making it home safely each day .
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