Across policing, too many leaders are promoted for ambition instead of ability — and it’s costing the profession its integrity. This crisis doesn’t erupt in dramatic scandals but simmers quietly in the everyday compromises: a policy bent to fit a narrative, an officer hung out to dry for optics, or a department’s morale quietly bleeding out from unchecked self-interest.
It’s not about outright malice; it’s the insidious drift where solid officers, once grounded in the badge’s purpose, start prioritizing personal ascent over professional duty. In an era of intense scrutiny, where body cams capture every angle and social media amplifies every misstep, this drift amplifies vulnerabilities, turning potential allies in the community into adversaries and leaving frontline cops questioning their chain of command.
This warning serves as a stark mirror for those occupying or reaching for command roles — a call to self-examine before the reflection warps beyond recognition. Ask yourself: Are your decisions fortifying the force or just fortifying your resume? Law enforcement’s high-stakes world demands leaders who embody the oath, not exploit it. It’s time for aspiring commanders to confront this head-on, reclaiming leadership as a service, not a summit, to safeguard the integrity that defines policing. That means having the integrity and fortitude to call balls and strikes — even if it goes against the popular narrative.
The anatomy of the wrong kind of leader
The wrong kind of leader in law enforcement is a master of self-preservation, cloaked in risk aversion and political maneuvering, always shielding their image at the expense of institutional integrity. This archetype thrives on surface-level savvy: taking credit for collective successes while deflecting blame onto subordinates, reacting impulsively to media storms rather than anchoring in facts and policy, and chasing what appears progressive over what truly protects officers and the public. They sidestep tough conversations, align with trending narratives regardless of evidence, and treat the department as a personal chessboard, where pawns are expendable for the king’s advance. Recognize the signs — knee-jerk disciplines, agenda-driven reforms, or liability assumptions where none exist — and you’ll see how this erodes the core of policing.
The wrong kind of leader in law enforcement is a master of self-preservation, cloaked in risk aversion and political maneuvering.
Law enforcement veteran Dr. Travis Yates nails it: “It was clear which leaders were there for the right reason and those looking to the next rank while taking a machete to those under and around them.” These self-centered figures, whom Yates dubs “cowards,” forsake the realities of street-level policing, ignoring human performance factors, critical thinking, and departmental protocols in favor of popular appeasement.
The fallout is profound: morale plummets as officers feel undervalued and betrayed, trust fractures across ranks leading to siloed operations, and the organization’s overall strength diminishes, manifesting in higher turnover, ineffective responses to crises and a weakened stance against external pressures. This isn’t just poor management; it’s a systemic toxin that transforms a unified force into a fragmented entity, ultimately compromising public safety and the profession’s oath to serve, a noble calling.
Borrowed wisdom: The illusion of competence
“Borrowed wisdom” powers the engine of ineffective leadership, where concepts gleaned from seminars or manuals are wielded without the crucible of real application, creating a facade of expertise that shatters under scrutiny. These leaders borrow intellectual shortcuts — attending a class on human factors or policy interpretation — but never internalize them through hands-on trials, leading to misapplications that harm rather than help. It’s the difference between reading about high-stakes decisions and making them in the fog of an active scene; without lived experience, their judgments become distorted, prioritizing compliance with superiors over congruence with facts. A true and grounded leader will not say yes if yes is not the answer.
The human factors example — which examines how stress, perception and decision-making affect officer actions — exposes this flaw vividly: A commander, years removed from a basic training engagement in force analysis as a sergeant, reopens a cleared critical incident at the chief’s behest, mangling those half-remembered theories to unjustly discipline an officer whose actions were objectively reasonable. This “borrowed” approach, untested and unearned, culminates in the chief’s downfall via a no-confidence vote, illustrating how such illusions breed injustice.
As Shane Parrish, creator of FS Brain Food, says: “Borrowed wisdom breaks under pressure because you haven’t earned it. You’re trusting someone else’s compression without knowing what created it.” In policing, this warning is dire — unearned authority invites errors that destroy careers, invite lawsuits, and undermine departmental credibility, turning potential lessons into lasting liabilities.
If borrowed wisdom weakens leadership, earned wisdom is what fortifies it.
Earned wisdom: What keeps you grounded
Earned wisdom stands as the bedrock antidote, cultivated through the raw grind of experience — successes tempered by failures, all shared with humility to build others up. It’s the wisdom that emerges from mentoring without fanfare, navigating ethical minefields with grace, and applying knowledge in the heat of duty, transforming abstract ideas into instinctive actions. This grounding fosters leaders who prioritize collective growth over individual glory, recognizing that true expertise isn’t certified but forged in the daily demands of the job.
West Jordan (Utah) Police Chief Ken Wallentine exemplifies this: “At our department, we teach and practice a belief that ‘you matter like I matter.’ In other words, your goals, needs and challenges matter to me, and mine to you. When officers see a leader who works to elevate those around him, they naturally respond by elevating that leader.”
Such empathy-driven leadership, rooted in accountability, creates resilient teams where trust flows bidirectionally. Kept concise, this section underscores that earned wisdom isn’t a luxury — it’s the anchor that prevents drift, ensuring decisions honor the profession’s integrity amid chaos.
To those ascending the ranks, heed this: Every stripe earned demands a reckoning — will you uplift the force or exploit it for personal gain only?
The price of blind ambition
Blind ambition exacts a steep toll, propelling climbers who equate rank with righteousness, only to discover that unchecked ascent leaves devastation in its wake. These individuals barrel upward, fixated on promotions while ignoring the human costs — sidestepping controversies, currying favor and making optics-based calls that sacrifice substance for shine. Decisions become self-serving: shying from officer wellness initiatives or factual accountability to avoid ruffling feathers, resulting in departments mired in stagnation and officers adrift without support.
Use of force instructor Sergeant Brandon Askew highlights the counterpoint: “In today’s policing environment, leaders who drive change are those who strive to stay relevant. Relevancy is a key quality that resonates and attracts those who need the mentorship and rely on good leadership as good followers who are poised for informal leadership roles.”
Yet blind ambition breeds irrelevance, fueling demoralized ranks, politicized environments, no-confidence upheavals, and eroded public faith. The consequences ripple: turnover spikes, systemic issues fester, and the profession pays dearly in lost potential and heightened risks.
A message to future leaders
To those ascending the ranks, heed this: Every stripe earned demands a reckoning — will you uplift the force or exploit it for personal gain only? Embrace the path of service, channeling ambition into mentorship and integrity, or risk becoming the caution you ignored. The choice defines not just your career but the legacy you leave.
As Las Cruces (New Mexico) Police Chief Jeremy Story affirms, “I have reached the pinnacle of this profession as a Chief, I now work for hundreds of people, I strive to and hope to make them proud!” Contrast that with the chief who once said, “I have arrived as chief in my career, I have hundreds of employees, I hope they make me proud.” Redeem the profession by rising through trust, fortitude and selflessness. If your leadership depends on borrowed wisdom and borrowed authority, it’s only a matter of time before both are taken from you.
Training discussion points
- How can command staff identify when ambition starts outweighing integrity?
- What mechanisms can be built into your agency to encourage “earned wisdom” over “borrowed wisdom”?
- How can leaders balance political realities with loyalty to their people and the profession?
Tactical takeaway
Audit your leadership motives. Ask whether each decision protects your people and your department’s integrity — or simply advances your image. True command is earned daily through service, not ambition.
If you’ve worked under a leader who put politics or ego ahead of the mission, how did it affect your team? Share below.
