DENVER — Too often, law enforcement leaders underestimate the power of communication — until a crisis exposes the gap. Whether it’s an internal breakdown that erodes trust among officers or a public misstep that spirals into controversy, many chiefs and sheriffs have seen their careers derailed not by operational failure, but by communication failure. At IACP 2025, Chief Christopher Cook challenged executives to change that mindset.
In the video below, Police1’s Nancy Perry, director of content for LE & corrections, speaks with Chief Cook about his session, “Why Investing in Your Public Information Officers and Strategic Communication Advisors Will Lead to Greater Organizational and Community Successes.”
Cook urges police executives to rethink how they invest in their public information officers and communications advisors, emphasizing that communication isn’t just a PR function — it’s a leadership imperative. From staffing creative ancillary-duty teams to strengthening internal messaging, he highlighted how effective communication can improve morale, transparency, and public confidence.
“Communication is a paramount skill for the modern-day police executive,” Cook said, encouraging leaders to prioritize proper staffing, training and professional development for their communications teams — and to connect them with regional, state and national networks to strengthen their capabilities.
Chief Christopher Cook serves as the Chief of Police for the City of White Settlement, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth and part of the nation’s fifth-largest metropolitan area. The department, accredited by the Texas Police Chief’s Association’s Law Enforcement Agency Best Practices Program, employs 60 team members and serves a community that includes major defense industries such as Lockheed Martin’s Air Force Plant #4 and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base FTW.
Before joining White Settlement PD, Cook retired as a Deputy Chief from the Arlington (Texas) Police Department after 27 years of service. With extensive experience in public relations and traditional media management, he now serves as President of the National Information Officers Association and as a member of the IACP PIO Section. He has also written for Police1 on law enforcement leadership and communication.
