When most people think about police work, they picture patrol cars, traffic stops or major investigations. Few think about the quiet office where complaints are reviewed, policies are scrutinized and tough conversations happen. That’s where Sgt. Gene Reid spends his days.
Reid, who holds a Ph.D. in criminal justice with a focus on stress management and resilience, now serves in the Professional Standards Unit at the New Castle County (Del.) Police Department after more than six years in the Criminal Investigations Unit. In addition to conducting sensitive investigations, he plays a key role in shaping policy and supporting officer wellness initiatives, bringing both academic expertise and practical experience to the role.
Below, Reid shares what a day in Professional Standards looks like, the challenges of investigating colleagues in a mid-sized department and why he believes the role is about more than discipline — it’s about strengthening the organization.
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What does a typical day in your role with the Professional Standards Unit look like?
I think it’s important to first start off with what the Professional Standards Unit is. That’s what we call it at the New Castle County Police Department in Delaware, but some places call it Internal Affairs. I’ve heard other offices call it the Office of Integrity.
We are essentially a direct line to the Chief of Police and we are their investigative arm. It’s our job to uphold the integrity of the organization. It’s a big role for the department.
In our office, we are two sergeants and a lieutenant. We’re always preparing and conducting investigations. One of the main things we do daily is talk to the public. We field all citizen complaints that come in. Sometimes they come in over the phone, sometimes on a form the public fills out. We review them, often speak with whoever the complainant is, and get an idea of the issue or problem they’re having with a particular officer or incident. Then we go directly to the Chief of Police and review that.
Depending on the allegation, if it’s very serious, we keep those investigations within the Professional Standards Unit. We have more experience handling those and more time to dedicate to thorough investigations. Ultimately, it’s up to the Chief of Police who investigates. Not every complaint from the public gets investigated by us. About half get investigated at the patrol level or by that officer’s supervisor.
Professional Standards also connects with different entities. Because of our position, we work very closely with the union. Here in Delaware, we have the Fraternal Order of Police. That’s something we’ve always prioritized. I’ve been in this position for about three years and we have a really close relationship with the union. Anytime you’re talking about potentially disciplining or investigating officers, the union is going to want to know what’s going on. I don’t think that’s the case all across the country. We pride ourselves on that. We frequently, at least weekly, have meetings or discussions with the union.
We also have a very unique unit within our department called the Use of Force Review Unit. That’s two supervisors who run the unit. They look at every single use of force our department has — TASER, physical force, whatever it is. They’re looking for trends and areas we can improve. These individuals have extensive training in this area. Professional Standards is always speaking with them almost daily to look at trends and areas of improvement we can make department-wide to improve officer training.
In addition to talking to the public, keeping the Chief of Police involved, meeting with the union, and working with the Use of Force Review Unit, we’re also constantly looking at our policies. A lot of people misunderstand a day in the life of Professional Standards as just disciplining or not disciplining officers. Really what we’re trying to do is give the public the best product we can from an officer standpoint.
Is discipline sometimes needed and warranted? Absolutely. But a lot of times it’s about making the officer better. Maybe they need more training in an area. Maybe they need more information. Maybe the way we’re training them in the academy as a whole isn’t up to speed and we can improve on that.
That’s really all in a day. I know it sounds like a lot and it is. This position is very unique because we have to keep tabs on so many different areas of the organization while also conducting investigations.
In this exclusive interview, Reid shares what it’s really like to serve in the Professional Standards Unit at the New Castle County (Del.) Police Department. From handling citizen complaints to navigating the challenges of investigating fellow officers, he opens up about the unique demands of the role, the skills needed to succeed and the advice he offers to anyone considering a career in Professional Standards.
What challenges do you face regularly and how do you handle them?
The Newcastle County Police Department is what I’d consider a mid-sized department, about 400 sworn officers, making our way up to 450. So I know pretty much everybody in our department.
When it comes time to conduct a formal investigation, you’re investigating somebody you could have a close relationship with. We are not NYPD or Chicago with tens of thousands of officers. That’s a unique challenge.
Because I’ve put in the groundwork of getting out, socializing, being friendly, I’m very open with people when I conduct investigations. I always tell people: if I’m investigating you and you truly did not do anything wrong, and you followed your policies and procedures to the best of your ability, or maybe you made a little mistake, I’m the one you want investigating. I have a very extensive history in our Criminal Investigations Unit. I spent years in investigations, so I’m confident in that. If you didn’t do anything wrong, I’ll find that out. If you did, let’s be honest about it.
Discipline is a tool. It doesn’t mean we always have to discipline everybody for every little thing. Maybe you just need retraining. Maybe you misunderstood how to execute policies and procedures.
Investigating peers is a challenge unique to this position. But, at the end of the day, this role is in place to uphold the integrity of the organization and that trumps everything. There are people who do things they’re not supposed to and they need to be held accountable.
Another challenge is being creative. There is a time and place for discipline. But how can we improve behavior? An eight-hour suspension might not be the answer. How can we work with the academy staff, talk to supervisors, get a pulse on the department? That’s challenging. The easy thing is to do what’s always been done. But there are other ways to modify and correct behavior. Law enforcement is a long career. If a two- or three-year officer makes a mistake, just shoving them aside isn’t helpful. They’ll be here another 25 years. Let’s make them better.
It happened to me. When I had a little over a year on, I made a mistake — a misunderstanding of how to execute search warrants. I was disciplined. They corrected my behavior, explained how it should have been done and treated me with respect. I didn’t leave with a bad taste in my mouth. I just acknowledged my error, corrected it and moved on.
In smaller departments like ours, whoever is in Professional Standards has to be genuine. If you have someone who’s just out headhunting, trying to jam people up, that won’t work. You’ll have a revolt on your hands. If you’re truly there to do the right thing, people know it. They know you’re in a tough position, but if you’re genuine, everything will be fine.
Can you share a memorable experience that highlights your impact within the Professional Standards Unit?
That’s a good question. What’s interesting is because of this position I can’t share details of a specific case, but I can share the feeling I have and that highlights what I’ve been able to do.
I can walk around our building, attend events and not feel like a pariah. People are sociable with me, even if I’ve investigated them. I’ve handed out heavy suspensions. I’ve been involved in cases where people were terminated. I still see those people, hang around with them from time to time and the relationships are still there.
That’s because I treat this for what it is, with empathy and relationship-building. That tells me we’re doing this the right way. Nobody’s running away, nobody’s calling us the rat squad. Do we get jokes now and then? Sure. But the overall feeling shows me we’re on the right track.
What unique skills or tools are essential for success in your position?
Hands down, you have to have a strong investigative background. This position came naturally to me because I had about seven years in our Criminal Investigations Unit. The other two individuals in our office also have strong investigative backgrounds. That’s number one.
You also have to know how to talk to people. It’s one thing to investigate strangers. It’s another to connect with another officer. When you’re investigating another police officer, they know the same tricks you do. If you try to get cute, it doesn’t work. You just have to be genuine and straightforward.
Emotional intelligence is critical. You have to be self-aware and socially aware. You need to understand the big picture — you are there to protect the organization. That’s challenging. But if you’re in it for the wrong reasons, you won’t succeed.
This role requires building connections with many people: the union, the Chief of Police, officers, your team, the public. If you can’t value those relationships, you’ll fail. Emotional intelligence is what makes that possible.
In the video below, Reid highlights the importance of emotional intelligence and resilience as foundational elements of effective leadership. Reid emphasizes that while various theories and principles discussed in previous episodes are valuable, focusing on emotional intelligence and resilience can significantly enhance leadership capabilities.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
I’ll give you two examples.
First, talking to the public. Most of the time when people call in, they’re unhappy. Sometimes they just need 10 or 15 minutes to vent. Often, it’s because they misunderstand some aspect of a police contact. Over the years I’ve learned to let them get it out, then explain why something happened the way it did. Most of the time, the calls end with them saying, “Oh, thank you, I didn’t realize that.” Sometimes they rescind their complaint. That’s rewarding because I have the time to provide explanations that officers on the road may not.
Second, making connections through our Citizens Police Academy and with recruits. I love explaining what we do and building those relationships.
On top of that, I make a point of not being someone officers only see when they’re being investigated. I walk around the building, go to the academy, attend events. I want people to know I’m just Gene Reid, not just the internal affairs sergeant. I’m married, I have kids, I have hobbies. When young officers come in and aren’t terrified — maybe a little nervous, but comfortable — that’s very rewarding.
What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing a role in the Professional Standards Unit?
When I was first approached about Professional Standards, my immediate response was, “No, absolutely not.” I had no interest. And I don’t know many who do. But I’ve since found it to be a very rewarding position.
You can never forget your role: protecting the integrity of the organization. The public is trusting you. If officers are doing things they’re not supposed to, they need to be held accountable. Some need to be removed from law enforcement. It doesn’t happen often, but you have to be willing to do that.
It’s a unique role. You have to be willing to be creative. If you’re considering it, talk to whoever is in the job now. That’s what I did. My initial answer was “no,” but after talking to supervisors in the unit, I realized I could do it, maybe even make it better.
This is definitely the most unique role I’ve had in law enforcement, but also one of the most fulfilling. Because of confidentiality, you can’t shadow or do a temporary assignment here like you can in other units. You really learn as you go. But if you’re emotionally intelligent, build relationships and keep the organization’s integrity at the center, you can succeed.
