View from the Top: The Frustrations of Police Chiefs, and How to Solve Them

A prominent police educator called the police chief position “the most difficult and demanding job in public administration today.” A government journal article about police chiefs is titled “Mission Impossible” for a number of very valid reasons. Police chiefs have the only position without a peer group within their organizations; they are truly alone at the top of the organization. Often they hold the only position in the organization without job protections, yet they are asked to lead, to discipline, to take professional risks, and to create positive change.