Based on over seventy years of extensive experience at the federal, state, county, and municipal level, the authors draw on current knowledge to provide a thorough overview of the realities of the position of chief of police. The book provides practical, common sense advice for preparing oneself for the position, successfully negotiating the application and screening process, and competing in various selection procedures including the assessment center. The book then addresses negotiating an employee compensation and benefits agreement, and once the position is offered, how to prepare for your first days as a chief of police. It also furnishes sound advice intended to help the chief retain his physical, emotional and ethical health while leading a professional law enforcement agency. Chapter topics include advice on taking control of the police department and setting the agenda in place, emphasizing the extreme importance of role modeling the behavior that the chief expects of department personnel, the requirements for a productive relationship with the command staff, exploring the multifaceted relationship a chief has with his employees, and guidelines for managing relations with collective bargaining units, schools and businesses, and the various elements of the community. It also examines establishing and maintaining your relationship with your superior (whether that is a city manager or elected official), developing and managing a budget, managing the disciplinary process, how to respond when things go wrong (to include officer-involved shootings and other misconduct), and building a good working relationship with the media. Each chapter concludes with a OC Points to RememberOCO section that will be beneficial to the new police chief in order to avoid mistakes and build on the body of knowledge that constitutes professional law enforcement leadership. There are several sample policies, procedures, and forms included in the book that will prove very useful for the new or veteran chief. This resource will be invaluable to all prospective and current chiefs of police, law enforcement professionals, policymakers, and police academics."

The first installment in the delightful, internationally acclaimed series featuring Chief of Police Bruno. Meet Benoît Courrèges, aka Bruno, a policeman in a small village in the South of France. He’s a former soldier who has embraced the pleasures and slow rhythms of country life. He has a gun but never wears it; he has the power to arrest but never uses it. But then the murder of an elderly North African who fought in the French army changes all that. Now Bruno must balance his beloved routines—living in his restored shepherd’s cottage, shopping at the local market, drinking wine, strolling the countryside—with a politically delicate investigation. He’s paired with a young policewoman from Paris and the two suspect anti-immigrant militants. As they learn more about the dead man’s past, Bruno’s suspicions turn toward a more complex motive. "Enjoyable.... Martin Walker plots with the same finesse with which Bruno can whip up a truffle omelette, and both have a clear appreciation for a life tied to the land." —The Christian Science Monitor "A nice literary pairing with the slow-food movement.... [It is] lovely...to linger at the table." —Entertainment Weekly "A wonderfully crafted novel as satisfying as a French pastry but with none of the guilt or calories." —Tuscon Citizen's Journal

This book provides a valuable addition to the policing literature by detailing the backgrounds and histories of seven important police leaders: Teddy Roosevelt, August Vollmer, O.W. Wilson, Penny Harrington, Bill Bratton, Chuck Ramsey, and Chris Magnus. Seven Highly Effective Police Leaders teaches important history, highlighting the impact on the evolution of American policing by academia and social science. Each historical biography demonstrates the importance of each leader’s decision-making and how it continues to shape the future of U.S. law enforcement. Readers are informed about each police leader’s background and how their leadership was shaped by the political and historical environments in which they led. The book is useful for educational courses in policing, American history, leadership, and strategic planning. Additionally, the general public will find this book insightful regarding contemporary mass social justice protests linked to the unique history of the United States.

The Dallas police chief who inspired a nation with his compassionate, community-focused response to the killing of five of his officers shares his story and a blueprint for the future of policing.

Whatever your position is on Black Lives Matter, defunding the police, and equity in law enforcement, former police chief Carmen Best shares the leadership lessons she learned as the first Black woman to lead the Seattle Police Department—a personal insider story that will challenge your assumptions on how to move the country forward. Chief Carmen Best has spent the last 28 years as a member of a big-city police force, an institution where minorities and women have historically found it especially difficult to succeed. She defied the odds and became the first Black woman to lead the Seattle Police Department. During her tenure, she was successful in bringing significantly more diversity to the force. However, when the city council cut her budget amid months of protests against police violence, she had no choice but to step aside. Without the city’s support, she felt she wouldn’t be able to continue changing the status quo of the police force from within. Throughout her career, Chief Best has learned lessons that those coming up behind her can benefit from. In this book, she will use her story to share those urgent lessons. Readers will read about: How Chief Best grew up to believe in the change she set out to create. Her early days in the police force, including lessons from the academy and her time on patrol. How she progressed in her career within a primarily white law enforcement culture and the events that led to her becoming Chief. How she built her team and overcame the politics involved in her high-level position until the call for defunding came. Carmen Best teaches readers the core qualities and mindset to persevere and rise through the ranks, even within a workplace whose culture and leadership must be challenged, and policies changed on the way to achieving that vision. Her motivating story serves as a master class in guiding principles for anyone striving to serve their community and rise to the highest echelon of success.

Never written to be released to the public, this book contains easy-to-read entries from the unfiltered, personal journals of Chief Rodney Muterspaw, and award-winning Ohio police chief and congressional guest at the Presidential State of the Union. You will feel the gamut of emotions as you follow him through the ranks of rookie, patrol officer, investigator, narcotics officer, and internal affairs supervisor, all the way to chief of police. Muterspaw's entire career takes place in Middletown, Ohio - the well-known, small Midwest town from Hillbilly Elegy. Unedited and raw, this book is unlike anything you've ever read from a police officer. The Blue View will draw you in emotionally, as you will finally have access to the behind-the-scenes thoughts and experiences that most police officers will not talk about. It doesn't matter what side you are on. It is a must read. It will change the way you think about law enforcement. --Back cover.