You have just been promoted to corporal or sergeant; you are now a freshly minted first level supervisor. Congratulations! Now, what could possibly go wrong? Law enforcement has a bad habit of not training you for the position first; it’s trial by fire. After a few months, miraculously you get assigned to a supervisor’s school, which is great and long overdue. What is troublesome is those first few months you were ‘winging it’ and errors were made. Let’s talk about a few needful things you must consider.
Know your people (KNP)—Whether this is a group of officers that you know, or you have been sent to some exotic precinct (my 3rd Precinct comes to mind), you must consider. Know your people (KNP)—Whether this is a group of officers that you know, or you have been sent to some exotic precinct (my 3rd Precinct comes to mind), you must supervise them. Now, you are not a buddy but a leader - two entirely misunderstood viewpoints. Get to know your new squad, each has something within law enforcement and life skill sets. Each has strengths to bring to the show and weak spots or idiosyncrasies. How to mold them into your squad is not easy. I was taught years ago about squad management. This is much akin to holding mashed potatoes in your hands. The harder you squeeze them, the less you hold. They will, like potatoes, squirt out between your fingers. If you hold them and mold them, it is much like making a boxty, latkes or potato cakes, which are all good.
This requires trust, which is hard for a new supervisor to do. It is drilled into your head that you are responsible for their every move. These ten officers are the ones that are going to get you indicted. Face it, you cannot ride every call, write every citation, make every arrest and so forth. You must trust that their applications of training, experience and service delivery will be the right decisions. Face the facts, you are not a line boss in a factory that peers over the shoulder of every worker ensuring every bolt is torqued tight. You must trust them to answer the radio calls and to handle business on their respective beats. Few supervisors grant this much trust in employees. Please recall, this was the way you were trained as well. It is the tried-and-true law enforcement model.
When conversing with your staff—LISTEN! Just because you have a lot of stripes on your sleeve now, does not give you instant intelligence. Be slow to anger, do not criticize. You are still developing an officer’s career path, whether they have been on the job two years or fifteen years; how you handle them can have long term effects on their future as a good cop. Listening is something we do not do well at all. It is a finely developed skill that patience mixes in with. Avoid snap decisions and do not respond without thought. If it would feel good to say it, then don’t say it. A quipped spiteful remark will be a mistake you could have avoided. Now you must think, act and speak as a boss, not as a rookie.
Stay current with the precinct or your area of operations. Again, if this is new geography to you, there could be an immense learning curve added to your plate. Know your crime numbers and patterns. You must be the guide to your staff on the current mission and prepare them for the coming challenges. You may have been a star from whence you came, but now you are the visiting team. Talk and listen to your staff because they know the territory. Getting to know the new citizens and businesses is two-fold. You are familiar with what good service is. Now you must treat them as a customer and become the supervisor that ensures them good service delivery. You are new to them, your staff will have to give you, their insights. Get to know the contenders from the pretenders.
Train! Not only do you have your required (mandated) state training and departmental training, but you now must also invest in supervisory-based training. As a first-time supervisor, there are so many topic matters that you must grasp in a hurry. Basic supervisor or entry level leadership is a must. Leadership must be caught and not taught. You can sit in a classroom all you want, but until you make the internal, cognitive decisions to become a true leader, nothing will happen. You must catch the fever to become a good leader. There are other topics you should become versed in. Human resources—to assist your staff during tough personal times, you should acquaint yourself with the benefits packages and perks offered. When I became a Non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Army, I was to become technically and tactically proficient in all segments of my job and mission. Seek balance. I know some who possess immense tactical skill sets along with immense street savvy but lack administrative skills. I knew others who were the reverse. Again, as a leader you need to assist your staff on all the fronts, the streets and sometime life.
Do not look at your watch! Being a boss is often the most time you will spend on the job. You should be the first one in to prepare for the shift. You may well be the last to leave by wrapping up the shift and closing the books on that shift. Nowhere is it written, you will work only 8 hours and be home early. Being a boss also means you will have to attend staff meetings or maybe community meetings, none of which will be on your regular shift. Yes, there have been great potential supervisors who refused the test or promotions because they wanted their personal and family life left intact. I personally respect them for their decision yet find it difficult as I wanted them in new positions where their skill sets would have been a bonus to all.
In closing, be patient. This transition cannot be accomplished overnight. Invest every day into some reading time to sharpen your skills. Seize the opportunities when they become available – schools, assignments or projects. Embrace those moments when you are tasked with “mandatory opportunities to excel!” Your bosses are investing in you, and this will require some sweat equity on your part. There are no easy passes to leadership. Embrace the challenges
William L. Harvey | Chief
William L. "Bill" Harvey is a U.S. Army Military Police Corps veteran. He has a BA in criminology from St. Leo University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute of the University of Louisville (103rd AOC). Harvey served for over 23 years with the Savannah (GA) Police Department in field operations, investigations and completed his career as the director of training. Served as the chief of police of the Lebanon City Police Dept (PA) for over seven years and then ten years as Chief of Police for the Ephrata Police Dept (PA). In retirement he continues to publish for professional periodicals and train.
