Sergeant Values

[Kymmie2453]

Just in case anyone is interested in helping out a lowly student... I have no idea where else to find this type of information.

What are the 3 most essential values that a police sergeant must present to police officers under command and why?

Do you think that sergeants must be the same when communicating with police officers under their command and the communities they serve? Why?

[ChesCopPodz]

Big arms, fast fists, and good aim.

And no. Show me any industry where a boss treats his employees like they treat customers. Part of a bosses job is to criticize, or at least correct, mistakes made by those under him. Can't do that with customers or you'd run out of customers fast.

[Jks9199]

Just in case anyone is interested in helping out a lowly student... I have no idea where else to find this type of information.

What are the 3 most essential values that a police sergeant must present to police officers under command and why?

Do you think that sergeants must be the same when communicating with police officers under their command and the communities they serve? Why?

You might try reading your text books. You might also try thinking about the question yourself:

What qualities do you want to see in a boss you're working for? How might those change for someone in law enforcement?

Does the boss need to be fair? Loyal? Honest? Does he or she need to know the job? How well? Do they need to trust workers or not?

Does the boss need to communicate differently to different groups? Are they going to talk the same to their bosses (EVERYONE has a boss -- even the chief or sheriff) as they do to the people working for them? Will they talk to the public the same way? Why would or wouldn't they?

[Kymmie2453]

ChesCopPods - I hadn't thought about it that way! Thanks
Jks9199 - I have read my text and I have researched other sources, I was looking for a LEO's opinion on the subject for perspective. Thanks

[Car 4]

1. Knowledge of the job....can't learn this job from a book...you have to have done it well enough that your subordinates will trust in your decisions.

2. The ability to lead/inspire/motivate. This includes never asking an officer to do something you wouldn't do.

3. Absolute loyalty to your subordinates. Most para-military organizations expect loyalty up chain but if you don't demonstrate loyalty down chain, you can't be an effective leader.

4. A thorough knowledge of the rules. In law enforcement, the unwritten rules are often more important that the written rules. This may be difficult to understand....but if you place your life in the hands of another officer, they HAVE to know what is expected of them.


Car 4

[Kymmie2453]

Car 4,

That's exactly what I'm looking for! Thanks for replying!

[berserk]

Ideally, my boss should know the job better than I do, know when to get involved and when to leave me alone, and he should be an effective buffer between the line officers and the brass.

Just like everyone else in this field, a sergeant should be able to talk to people the way that they need to be talked to. One size does not fit all.

[mavriktu]

Ideally, my boss should know the job better than I do, know when to get involved and when to leave me alone, and he should be an effective buffer between the line officers and the brass.

Just like everyone else in this field, a sergeant should be able to talk to people the way that they need to be talked to. One size does not fit all.

1. Knowledge of the job....can't learn this job from a book...you have to have done it well enough that your subordinates will trust in your decisions.

2. The ability to lead/inspire/motivate. This includes never asking an officer to do something you wouldn't do.

3. Absolute loyalty to your subordinates. Most para-military organizations expect loyalty up chain but if you don't demonstrate loyalty down chain, you can't be an effective leader.

4. A thorough knowledge of the rules. In law enforcement, the unwritten rules are often more important that the written rules. This may be difficult to understand....but if you place your life in the hands of another officer, they HAVE to know what is expected of them.


Car 4

PLUS be decisive,dont hesitate when it comes time to make a decision.Other than that car-4 and beserk have it pretty much summed up.

[luckyme]

In a supervisor class I took awhile back, they question was name the top qualities in a good supervisor. Out of the 30 or so people, just about everyone wrote, "Firm but Fair."

[Bob Loblaw]

3. Absolute loyalty to your subordinates. Most para-military organizations expect loyalty up chain but if you don't demonstrate loyalty down chain, you can't be an effective leader.

1 f'ing +, Sir. That's the big one....I've got 1 boss who I trust with every fiber of my being. If he told me to jump off a bridge, my reply would be "GERONIMO!!!!"

[lewisipso]

3. Absolute loyalty to your subordinates. Most para-military organizations expect loyalty up chain but if you don't demonstrate loyalty down chain, you can't be an effective leader.

My only change to the replies so far would be to change the number on this from number 3 to number 1.

and I would add.....

Lead by example and from the front not the rear. I do not ask my officers to do anything I wouldn't do or haven't done.

[lewisipso]

Disregard the addition. I now see it too has already been mentioned.

[berserk]

PLUS be decisive,dont hesitate when it comes time to make a decision.Other than that car-4 and beserk have it pretty much summed up.

You're right, but I'd say that decisiveness is probably even more important for an officer than it is for a sergeant. The higher up the chain you go, more likely you are to have the luxury of time.

[mavriktu]

You're right, but I'd say that decisiveness is probably even more important for an officer than it is for a sergeant. The higher up the chain you go, more likely you are to have the luxury of time.

Maybe in larger depts. but in smaller ones like mine and lewis' we are right out and amongst them,if they are taking cover behind their car ,chances are ours is right next to it,in which case it becomes our scene,our decisions,they better be timely and correct.Sorta comes under the heading of "never let them see you sweat"

[lewisipso]

Maybe in larger depts. but in smaller ones like mine and lewis' we are right out and amongst them,if they are taking cover behind their car ,chances are ours is right next to it,in which case it becomes our scene,our decisions,they better be timely and correct.Sorta comes under the heading of "never let them see you sweat"

Couple that with it isn't uncommon to get a few rookies a year with turn over and the above statement rings true. Training after the academy in smaller departments around here is practically non existent. When the shit hits the fan those new unexperienced guys are looking at you to make those snap decisions. We sometimes fly by the seat of our pants based on experience alone but the supes around here are sometimes the ones steering the plane.

[berserk]

Good point. When I started in NM, it was normal for the sergeants to take over all the big calls. Here, the only time a sergeant is likely to take over is if the call requires more than 5-6 officers. Even then, they are more likely to coordinate outside resources and let an officer run the show. Sergeants who take over too often drive me up the damn wall, and I will go out of my way to avoid working with them.

[lewisipso]

Understood. That falls back on the department. Here where I work it falls on the shoulder of the supervisor, Sgt or Lt, to oversee all day to day shift operations. We are held accountable to what our officers do and need to be available for each scene as needed. I do not, however, jump in and micromanage my shift. Hell, I can't. 2 of my guys work about 30 miles away and 2 work on the other side of the Mississippi River and it would take me 15 minutes at high speed to just get to them.
Anyway, I can sympathize with the fact that some supervisors can't seem to understand they should supervise and not take over or order everyone to death. In a lot of cases if a supervisor allows officers to just do their job a lot of the job gets done.