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Lessons in Police Leadership by Rich Emberlin

Lessons in Leadership is a 10-part series covering the most important principles police officer Rich Emberlin learned during his nearly 30-year career with the Dallas Police Department. From explosive confrontations to quiet defining moments, there’s no shortage of wisdom to be earned in one of the world’s most dangerous professions. Key articles outline why cops should never judge a crisis by its cover, how police leaders can create a culture that focuses on the safety of their officers and why the ability to adapt determines the success of law enforcement operations.

True leadership isn’t a self-assessment; it’s a position that is measured by your peers and earned by the troops that trust and respect you enough to follow you into the field
The real measure of courage is getting past the fear, even when you’re scared out of your mind
Police officers are human beings watching inhuman things – it takes resilience to cope with and overcome traumatic events
When team members are invested in their roles and contributions, you have the highest probability for a successful outcome
Patience exerts a powerful and primary influence not just in tactical operations, but in all aspects of policing
No matter what my assignment was, I knew preparation was one of the single largest contributors to producing a safe outcome
Leaders must create a culture that focuses first and foremost on the safety of their officers
The success of law enforcement operations depends on our ability to adapt to the spectrum of humanity on a daily basis
Police officers operate along a vast continuum that stretches from stepping it up to reining it in, and it’s not uncommon to oscillate between the two during an operation
Effective crisis management and resolution rely on a different aspect of the situational awareness that keeps us alive