Trauma-Informed Leadership: Putting the Public and Your People First
With national law enforcement turnover at an all-time high, Sergeants, Detective Sergeants, and Senior Investigators are stepping into leadership roles earlier than ever before in their careers. While the path to promotion can be frustrating—politics, tests, panels, interviews—this article isn’t about that process. It’s about what happens once you arrive. It's about the incredible opportunity to shape the future of policing by becoming the kind of leader your people deserve.
Middle management in law enforcement is often overlooked and underappreciated. You’re no longer “one of the guys,” but you're not part of the executive decision-making table either. You’re stuck in between—translating policy from above into reality below, while protecting your people from both the bureaucracy and the burnout.
I spent 23 of my 26 years in law enforcement working as a road officer and then as an investigator. That time taught me lessons from every angle—the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’ve learned from the leaders I served under, continued to grow through mentoring and reading, and ultimately had the privilege of supervising an incredible unit up until retirement.
So, if you’ll allow me, I’d like to offer a roadmap to successful police middle management—from someone who has led from the front, not just from a desk.
Set the Tone Early
When you take over a unit, your first communication sets the tone. Be intentional. Share your values and mission clearly. Let your people know that your role is to serve them so they can serve others. That you will do everything possible to keep them safe, support their families, maximize their personal time, and help them advance in their careers.
More importantly, define the unit's identity. Set your non-negotiables. Articulate your commitment to being trauma-informed, victim-centered, and uncompromising when it comes to effort—especially in crimes like sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, and stalking. These aren’t just cases—they’re people, and they deserve our very best.
Make excellence your baseline. But also build in joy. Excellence and laughter can coexist. Let the unit culture reflect professionalism, compassion, and humor.
Understand Individual Needs
No two officers are alike. Some are grinders, some are thinkers. Some are natural leaders, and others are still figuring out who they are. Part of your role is to know your people well enough to see what they need before they ask for it.
You didn't pick your team, but their success is your success. If someone on your team stagnates—or worse, regresses—it reflects as much on you as it does on them. Put them in positions where they can thrive, and then support them relentlessly.
Sometimes this means protecting them from themselves. We work in a profession filled with big personalities. Learning how to manage egos without crushing spirits is part of the job. Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all—adapt, flex, and guide accordingly.
Look Sharp, Act Sharp, Be Sharp
Leadership is visual. Look the part, every single day. Your appearance sets a tone long before your words do. Keep your uniform sharp, your workspace clean, your evidence locker squared away, and your car in order. Sloppiness is contagious.
Acting sharp means carrying yourself with professionalism—not arrogance or cold detachment—but quiet, confident command presence. Joke with the team, have fun, but never forget: you’re the boss. A little bit of healthy tension, a subtle “edge,” reminds everyone of your role.
Being sharp means staying current. The fastest way to lose respect is to try enforcing standards you never followed yourself. Your people will know if you were mediocre. Don’t rely on war stories from five years ago. Read the updates, study case law, and be the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to policy, SOPs, and best practices.
Let the Kids Play
Create a space where your people can do their job without micromanagement from above. You will get blamed for things that aren’t your fault. You will take hits from the top for your team’s mistakes. That’s part of the job. Don’t simply pass criticism down the chain of command. Absorb it, translate it into something productive, and insulate your team from the noise.
Leadership means creating a safe space to take risks, try new things, and grow. The best units are the ones that feel like they belong to the people doing the work—not just to the boss who signs off on reports.
Create a Culture of Promotion
This is hard, but necessary: your best employees will leave—and they should. Your unit should be a launching pad. If you’re doing it right, you’re developing leaders, not hoarding talent.
Encourage your team to test, apply for special units, and pursue growth. Give them mock interviews. Review their résumés. Help them shine. It’s not about your legacy—it’s about theirs. That’s how law enforcement as a whole gets better.
Truly Care
This one can’t be faked. If you don’t care about your people—really care—everything else will eventually fall apart. You can’t lead a team you don’t know.
Talk to your people, regularly. Learn their families’ names. Know what matters to them. If something’s off, you should be the first to see it. Invest in them emotionally, not just professionally.
When push comes to shove, fight for them—even at the expense of your own comfort or promotion. You’ll never regret it.
In Closing
I’m reminded of a line from NYPD Blue, when a boss gives this parting wisdom:
“You’re on a perilous perch. You must answer to those above you, take care of those below you, and live with yourself.”
That’s the tightrope of police middle management. So here’s the challenge: when you run into someone you supervised ten years from now, will they be glad to see you? Will they say you made them better?
If the answer is yes—then you did it right.
Matthew Stegner
Matthew Stegner is a retired Senior Investigator from the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, where he dedicated many years to serving and protecting the community. His career began in 1998 as a patrolman with the City of Atlanta Police Department, and in 2002, he joined the New York State Police. Over his 22 years there, he progressed from being a trooper to an investigator and eventually a Senior Investigator.
Throughout his career, Matthew handled various felony investigations, focusing on child exploitation, child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. He worked closely with crime victim advocates to conduct trauma-informed interviews, emphasizing a compassionate approach to law enforcement.
Matthew played a significant role in designing the Sexual Assault Investigations training module for the New York State Police and serves as the lead instructor for the annual New York State Police Sexual Assault Seminar. His contributions to the field have been recognized with awards such as Trooper of the Year, Investigator of the Year, Special Recognition Investigator, and Supervisor of the Year by the New York State Police.
He holds an Associate’s degree from Erie Community College, a Bachelor’s degree from Hilbert College, and a Master’s Degree from the University at Albany, all in criminal justice.
Now retired from active duty, Matthew focuses on sharing his knowledge and experience through training and presentations, both nationally and internationally, helping others to improve their approach to criminal investigations and victim support.
