The most important position in a police department isn’t always the one with the most brass. As the first line of leadership, the patrol sergeant sets the tone, enforces standards and protects the integrity of the shift. Drawing on years of experience, I’ve found that great sergeants consistently follow a set of guiding principles. Here are 20 that define what it means to lead from the front.
| Who’s the best sergeant you’ve ever worked with? Tell us below.
Great sergeants…
1. Know the job like no one else
The great sergeant always seems to have the right answer when you ask a question. It doesn’t matter whether the question is on rules of evidence, policy, paperwork or whether a warrant is needed — the great sergeant has the correct answer every time. They make it look easy. This comes from time, experience and study.
2. Make confident, timely decisions
When a decision needs to be made, the great sergeant can make that decision. They also have a history of making correct decisions over and over again.
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3. Stay calm under pressure
The great sergeant seems to be at their best when things are at their worst. They are not just present at a scene — they are a presence. Great sergeants have a calming influence on everyone. Even suspects will sense “the boss has arrived” when one shows up on scene.
4. Lead by example
You never hear a great sergeant saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.” In all things, they lead by example — and that example is exemplary.
5. Give credit generously
The great sergeant lets officers know when they have done something good and makes sure they get recognition when they do something great. The great sergeant gives credit rather than taking it.
6. Boost morale and foster team spirit
There is an element of fun working a shift with a great sergeant. For example, they make an effort — whenever possible — to start each shift with a laugh at line-up. There will be times they bring in homemade barbecue or buy pizzas. They enjoy the job, and their enjoyment is contagious.
7. Show up when it counts
A great sergeant will help out with calls when a shift is overwhelmed. They will listen to the radio and instinctively arrive when an officer needs help. When things get physical, they appear — and everything goes better because they are there.
8. Communicate clearly and listen well
This means they are not only great at speaking — they are great at listening and taking the time to understand what others are saying.
9. Care about their people
They care not only about the job and your safety on the job (which is important to them), but also about your work success and your physical and emotional health. They go above and beyond other commanders. They make a big deal out of births and birthdays. They attend family funerals to pay their respects and weddings when invited (great sergeants get invited to weddings). In short, you can feel that they sincerely care about you.
10. Set high expectations — and enforce them
Some might think it is odd, but officers like a sergeant who knows what they are capable of and expects — even demands — their best effort. This means not only telling them “great job” when they perform well, but also correcting them when they do something the wrong way.
Note: The great sergeant uses the positive-negative-positive critique technique in doing so. For example: “That was a great arrest. However, I noticed you did a pat-down incident to the arrest, not a search. For your safety and everyone else’s, you need to be more thorough on your searches. However, keep making arrests like that — you are making a difference out there!”
11. Address problem behavior head-on
No good cop wants to work with a bad cop. However, they don’t want to be the ones to take a bad cop down. When they find themselves in the presence of a bad cop, many will quietly let a great sergeant know — and appreciate it when that great sergeant handles it.
12. Prioritize training and development
Ongoing training is the lifeblood of a professional cop, and great sergeants make certain all officers get the training they need to succeed. A great sergeant recognizes weaknesses in individual officers and, through training, turns those weaknesses into strengths. They also respond when one of their officers aspires to learn a specialized skill, making every effort to get a worthy officer to that training.
13. Make change easier to accept
Change is ever-present in law enforcement and difficult for many officers. The great sergeant makes change palatable.
14. Deliver tough messages with tact
Police work can be contentious. When messages need to be sent from the bosses to officers — or from officers to the bosses — great sergeants cool the rhetoric, massaging the message so that when received, it remains intact but without the meanness.
15. Correct mistakes without holding grudges
Good leaders hold team members accountable, then let the issue go. Officers value sergeants who can correct them without carrying a grudge or undermining trust. As Gandhi said, “Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.”
16. Back officers up when they are in the right
When an officer is in the right and takes a difficult stand — even when it’s not popular with politicians or the media—if a commander backs them up, that officer will never forget it. When a commander doesn’t, they’ll never forgive it.
17. Are approachable and available
It is essential for a great sergeant to be the one person in authority that officers feel they can approach and talk to about anything (especially point 11).
18. Treat everyone with respect
Great sergeants treat the good and bad with respect. Most importantly, they treat their officers with respect.
19. Lead with courage
Police work is a dangerous profession. It doesn’t suffer cowards and fools. Great sergeants are courageous and lead from the front.
20. Be the kind of cop others want to follow
A great sergeant should be an example — professionally, physically, mentally, emotionally, ethically and yes, even spiritually. They serve as a template for their officers to emulate.
Conclusion
If you’re already wearing the stripes, use this list to sharpen your edge. If you’re aiming to promote, start building these habits now. Great sergeants aren’t born — they’re forged by the way they show up, shift after shift.
Who’s the best sergeant you’ve worked with — and what made them great? Share your story below.
Police1 readers respond
- A sergeant who pulled me out of depression and stood up to admin for the sake of the team.
- Sgt. Adam Porath — Old-school in his approach but adaptable. A caretaker and excellent communicator who genuinely cares about serving his people.
- Sgt. Shane Hart, Daly City Police Department, California — Put his team first, made the job fun and avoided unnecessary paperwork.
- Sgt. Ken Butler, San Gabriel Police Department — Led from the front, allowed officers to work independently, stepped in only when necessary, and never micromanaged. A quiet, confident leader and a Vietnam veteran. Rest in peace, Ken.
- Sgt. Ted King — A true leader and mentor. Took care of the shift, turned mistakes into learning moments, and inspired loyalty.
- Sgt. Doug Morphis — A “cop’s cop” who led by example and mentored without ego. Encouraged growth and accountability, and shaped others into better street cops and leaders.
- Sgt. Joel Caldwell, Galveston Police Department — Led from the front, set the example, was exceptionally fair and humble.
- Sgt. Ralph Pendergast, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit — A father figure who led, mentored and developed his team daily. Held everyone to high standards.
- Sgt. Holly Arndt, CBPD — Leads with passion and commitment. Fair, consistent and ego-free. Treats her team as equals and lifts them up for great work.
- Willing to jump on a call to help. Always deflected praise to the group and took responsibility when things went south.
- Sgt. Houston — Taught me everything I know about firearms. Promoted early and learned as he led. Had an old-school ’80s night shift vibe despite being in his 30s. Black coffee in a Styrofoam cup, black basketweave gear, and every shift started with coffee and contemplation.
- Sgt. Lynch — A solid sergeant. After I did something dumb, I’d call him. His response: “If questioned, advise them Sgt. Lynch authorized it.” But when I really messed up, he corrected it like a true leader.
- My sergeant once pulled me out of the lieutenant’s office mid-chewing out, slammed the door, and yelled at the LT to never go after his guys without him in the room. Crusty ol’ SGT, but had our backs.
- Sgt. Earl White — A man, a myth, a legend. Truly Detroit’s finest.
- Sgt. Robert M. Brown — Led from the front, set the example, cared about his people, and always gave constructive feedback.
- Female sergeant — Showed me everything about her job. Never worried about others promoting ahead of her — she wanted others to succeed and elevated people instead of holding them back. Best sergeant ever — Pivotal in guiding my career in the right direction.
- Sgt. Eric Reems — Taught me the value of doing a good job daily and the importance of being honest, even when it’s hard. Once trust is gone, perception changes forever.
- Sgt. JR Smith — Trusted my judgment, gave honest feedback without condescension, never stepped on my calls or undermined me in front of the public, and always backed me up. Trained me to replace him, as every good leader should. Gave me hope for growth and protected me from petty admin drama, even when he just wanted a quiet shift. Took the BS and “hey you” patrol calls so I could stay proactive.
