There is no doubt that the last two years have been a challenge for law enforcement throughout the world, with complex situations ranging from a global pandemic to a historic attack on the very essence of policing. Many have characterized this period for law enforcement as a crisis in leadership requiring a total revamping of policing and those that lead police organizations. What we have witnessed is an exodus of good leaders simply because they feel as if they do not have the support of the community members they have been working with for numerous years, all because of the actions of a few officers who, in many cases, were working in a community hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away.

It was this phenomenon that caused me to evaluate my position as police chief in the current environment of policing. It did not take me long to realize how lucky I was to be situated as I was. I was a chief who took advantage of the many classes, seminars, webinars, and conferences that I attended during my 20 years leading an agency. The most impactful of these was the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The opportunity to hear from worldwide leaders on all aspects of police leadership prepared me for the difficult times that we are in and that we have in front of us.