{"id":61078,"date":"2021-02-01T08:00:14","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T13:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/?p=61078"},"modified":"2021-01-26T15:11:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-26T20:11:25","slug":"leadership-in-the-face-of-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Leadership in the Face of Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Leading through crisis had a much different meaning in 2020 than it did in past years.\u00a0Historically, incidents or disasters under the police\u2019s purview come and go within a short time period. However, in 2020, law enforcement was faced with an ongoing global pandemic; legislative police reform stemming from systemic racism and inequality; civil unrest and riots; and in Colorado, some of the state\u2019s largest wildfires in history. In the face of these crises, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) continues to strive toward achieving its mission through the development and implementation of multifaceted strategies that are adaptive, innovative, and strategic.<\/p>\n<p>Since its origin in 1935, the CSP has focused on preserving human life and protecting property within Colorado communities. The CSP is an organization designed with the ability to have a direct impact on the quality of life in communities large and small. The community\u2019s level of trust and confidence in its law enforcement servants can most effectively be seeded through the development of relationships. While the bulk of CSP traditional operations has remained on the roadways, being agile and seeking new opportunities to serve provide the organization with the ability to truly build relationships within the community in conjunction with partner agencies.<\/p>\n<p>As most police agencies can likely attest, the unprecedented challenges of 2020 required police organizations to remain flexible while meeting the changing needs of the communities they serve. The value of leadership, partnerships, and agency member well-being has perhaps never been more important as police and communities seek ways to thrive in the face of multiple crises.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0071b9;\"><strong>Wildfire <span style=\"color: #0071b9;\">Response<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In 2020, CSP members responded to seven large-scale wildfires. These are common during summer months, and first responders are accustomed to responding to wildfires in the mountain region of Colorado. However, many of the fires in 2020 occurred simultaneously, including the East Troublesome fire, the second largest wildfire in Colorado history\u2014and the Cameron Peak fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history. The Cameron Peak fire burned for nearly 90 days before nonessential personnel (i.e., non-fire personnel, such as troopers and port of entry officers) support was released. More than 208,000 acres burned, and more than 460 structures were lost. Several recreational areas in northern Colorado were devastated, and the fire\u2019s economic impact will be felt for years to come.<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>In addition to the Cameron Peak fire, other fires were occurring that had a tremendous impact on first responder resources and the ability for motorists to move throughout the state. An unusual characteristic was how close five of the seven significant wildfires burned into what is commonly referred to as the wildland-urban interface, defined as the area where houses are in or near wildland vegetation.<\/p>\n<p>From July through October 2020, while wildfires raged across Colorado, more than 1,000 fire and police personnel were called into action each day, risking their lives to save the residents, properties, and the communities they cherish.<\/p>\n<p>When called upon by a local jurisdiction, the CSP fire assistance included planning and staffing road closures, assisting with evacuations, providing hazardous material response if needed, staffing the incident command post, and acting as a force multiplier to assist other jurisdictions with operations. As the state patrol, the agency is often in a support role unless otherwise requested to take the lead in incident management.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0071b9;\"><strong>Leadership in Crisis<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Each public safety entity operating within Colorado shares a mission predicated on making Colorado a safe place to live, work, and play. Attainment of this noble objective can be met only through the integration of ideas, resources, and information. The CSP has the advantage and responsibility of being able to impact communities across the state. By working together, first responder agencies can achieve this mission.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_61082\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-61082\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-61082 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216441578-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216441578-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216441578-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216441578-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216441578-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216441578-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216441578-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-61082\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">People set up a makeshift barrier in front of the Colorado State Capitol as protests against the death of George Floyd continue for a third night on May 30, 2020, in Denver, Colorado. \u00a9 Michael Ciaglo\/Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Leadership, both internally and externally, also proved essential. While the organization must lead its membership, it also serves as a leader to its communities and, at times, to its partners. When faced with multiple crises, effective leadership strategies, communication, and accountability increase operational success. While the CSP was responding to wildfires and civil unrest events, motorists were still crashing their vehicles, resulting in fatalities, serious injuries, and road closures. Those crashes still needed investigations, victims still needed to be served, and impaired drivers still needed to be apprehended, all while being mindful of the COVID-19 pandemic precautions.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f26522;\"><em>Partnerships<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Large-scale critical incidents can quickly turn chaotic when leadership is split or miscommunication occurs. For each of the seven fires, the incident command system was implemented and followed by all first responder agencies. In Colorado, the law enforcement authority ultimately resides with the local sheriff\u2019s office. It is understood by CSP and local partners that, unless specifically requested to assume law enforcement authority, the patrol assumes a support function. In most cases, the patrol works side-by-side with the sheriff\u2019s office to ensure there is an efficient flow of traffic for evacuees, road closures and traffic control points are adequately staffed, and security patrols are completed. Sometimes, a partner agency can bring the most value to the incident through the support of the local authorities, surging resources into an area when needed and serving as a force multiplier.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_61086\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-61086\" style=\"width: 420px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-61086\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216300418-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216300418-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216300418-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216300418-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216300418-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216300418-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1216300418-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-61086\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of people march down a street next to the Colorado State Capitol on May 30, 2020, in Denver, Colorado, to protest the death of George Floyd. \u00a9\u00a0Michael Ciaglo\/Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Much like traffic incident management, critical incidents require the leader to wear many hats. Leaders must be flexible while transitioning through the phases of a critical incident that requires interagency and intra-agency cooperation. This underscores the reason why partnerships should be built before a critical incident occurs. During one of the fires, a significant portion of Interstate 70 was closed for two weeks. This interstate serves as the primary thoroughfare for the transportation of goods and connects western Colorado with the metropolitan areas within Colorado\u2019s front range, accommodating more than 36,000 motorists a day. Due to the interstate closure, traffic was forced onto smaller, mountain highways. CSP leadership had to flex resources to respond to crashes and congestion on these smaller roads that were otherwise unaffected and not in proximity to the burning wildfires. Because of strong partnerships within the area, the CSP and local authorities were able to manage the traffic volume. Leaders across the organization must identify key partners and stakeholders before a crisis occurs. While building these relationships, partners will learn more about each other\u2019s agency and how they communicate, and partners can even start identifying needs before an incident occurs. Establishing these relationships in advance was critical for the CSP\u2019s ability to successfully deal with a complex critical incident of this magnitude.<\/p>\n<p>As is the case with community policing, critical incidents require relationship-building to combat unilateral outcomes. It is easy to ask for input, but it is harder to establish the trust needed for all stakeholders to speak up and share ideas that are not readily recognizable. With previously established relationships, it is much easier to gently redirect a partner or be redirected by a partner when the inevitable drift from a unified goal occurs. Similarly, keeping critical stakeholders in close contact ensures that decisions are made in a timely manner and operational plans are implemented promptly.<\/p>\n<p>Critical incident management often has large lulls interspersed by flurries of activity that will test even the most seasoned incident commander. When the CSP had to liaison and partner with multiple external agencies for resources, such as local and state emergency operations, local police and fire, and the Colorado Department of Transportation, things initially went well. However, when multiple fires began to threaten various communities across Colorado and the CSP was also responding to the state capitol for riots and protests, it became apparent that patrol resources were going to be stretched extremely thin. As a statewide leader in law enforcement, CSP partners were looking upon the patrol\u2019s resources to combat each local crisis. It was extremely important that the patrol not miss an opportunity to assist its partners, but also protect all of the communities under its purview.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f26522;\"><em>Incident Command System<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_61089\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-61089\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-61089\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CSP9745-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CSP9745-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CSP9745-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CSP9745-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CSP9745-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CSP9745-272x182.jpg 272w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CSP9745.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-61089\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Colorado State Patrol.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Incident command is critical to operational success. This allows multiple agencies and jurisdictions to clearly define roles and responsibilities and provides a common language and understanding of operations. Essentially, it is a predetermined leadership structure for a blended group of individuals representing various agencies. The patrol often staffs positions within the Incident Command System (ICS). During the wildfires of 2020, many of these staffing positions were delegated to a first-line supervisor due to the constraint on resources. This delegation is often thought of as a double-edged sword. If a leader is not taking advantage of these incidents to mentor upcoming leaders, the organization misses a great opportunity that cannot be matched by training alone. Adding first-line supervisors to the command post is a great way to prepare them for their future leadership roles. In a unified command, the experience gained and the relationships developed are invaluable for members as they ascend inside the agency and profession.<\/p>\n<p>The incident command structure has been a pillar of effective incident management for many years. However, knowing the person in the next chair makes it much easier. Agencies should take the time now to develop partnerships with other local authorities, first responders, and key stakeholders.<\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"color: #f26522;\">Internal Operations and Resource Allocation<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>To stay current with the ever-changing environment, police agencies must be willing to enter into a constant state of evaluation. This includes reviewing recognized best practices, maximizing available resources, and increasing operational effectiveness. During the wildfires of 2020, the CSP\u2019s internal operations and resource allocation were significantly impacted, requiring an assessment of organizational needs.<\/p>\n<p>During the wildfires and protests, the CSP was staffing multiple Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Those staffing the EOCs at the state and local levels were all seeking the same assets and had to be able to coordinate resource allocations. At one point in time, multiple local EOCs were activated along with the state EOC for fires and COVID response and local EOCs in Denver to manage the civil unrest. The EOC is usually the central point of coordination of resources, but when multiple EOCs are functioning and seeking assistance, the importance of effective internal communication and the need for CSP to remain agile to meet the demands for service are highlighted.<\/p>\n<p>Patrol leadership had to consider the impacts of the various resource constraints during the wildfires in order to respond to the demands for service across the state. Additionally, leadership had to consider the ongoing need for response to calls for service, crashes, and other events and critical incidents. It was important that leaders from across the CSP effectively communicate in order to facilitate successful operational management. It was also important to weigh member wellness and fatigue, especially considering some of the first responders were also responding to fires threatening their homes and communities and requiring their families to evacuate.<\/p>\n<p>As noted, being agile during a crisis is a must; leaders are required to prioritize service and expectations. The agency has a finite amount of resources, and, when responding to a large volume of need, leaders must consider the big picture. For law enforcement, \u201cnormal business\u201d does not stop. One of the key strategies used by the CSP is to diminish the significance of organizationally imposed geographical boundaries and seek alternative ways to staff critical positions. This sounds incredibly simple, but time and again, organizations make decisions based on where a patrol boundary ends and begins. Once the geographical constrictions are removed from planning, an organization can more effectively allocate resources based on need.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, leaders used port of entry officers, whose primary responsibility is specific to commercial motor vehicle\u00a0\u2013 related enforcement, to staff traffic control points and road closures during the wildfires. As troopers were responding to fires and the state capitol protests, other troopers assigned to the field and specialty positions were backfilling the vacancy left by those responding to the critical incidents. It was an all-hands-on-deck time period that lasted more than two weeks while critical incidents occurred simultaneously across the state.<\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"color: #f26522;\">Agency Member Wellness<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>CSP member wellness quickly became a concern due to the multiple demands on agency members. When members are working a fire, leaders must consider risk factors such as prolonged exposure to heat, smoke, and wind. These factors quickly cause dehydration and fatigue. In addition, troopers and port of entry officers were working 12-hour shifts to cover essential staffing needs.<\/p>\n<p>As with most first responders, CSP members are mentally fatigued from increased response, public scrutiny of the profession, and navigating the risk and exposure of the COVID-19 virus. In addition to leadership being mindful of the number of hours worked by each individual and checking in with them daily, the CSP ensured that wellness resources were available to its members. Two key resources provided to employees are a wellness website and free app with content specific to state patrol members.<\/p>\n<p>The app contains diet and exercise advice; tips to improve sleep; self-evaluations (stress, alcohol usage, etc.); and free digital and audio books on finances, marriage, healthy relationships, parenting, etc. The app also contains guided meditations, sleep sounds, a therapist finder, information for how to get in touch with peer support or a chaplain, and more. It\u2019s a wealth of information all vetted and recommended by CSPs wellness team. The website contains similar information with more in-depth resources (e.g., everything needed to learn how to get out of debt, establish a workout routine or diet that works for the individual, details on the many aspects of mental health, and so forth.)<\/p>\n<p>The app, website, and other resources offer an inclusive menu of information and support for our members\u2019 physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, social, and environmental health, and they are available to CSP members and their loved ones. Leadership across the organization worked together to balance staffing required shifts with providing needed time off. This coordination with effective communication prepared the CSP for a long-term essential staffing plan for the critical events of 2020.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0071b9;\"><strong>Lessons Learned and Leadership Strategies<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Throughout the summer months and into the fall, the CSP responded to various critical incidents that placed an unprecedented demand on the agency\u2019s resources. The wildfires of 2020 were unlike those during any other year, they were large, they occurred within a wildland interface area, and many burned simultaneously. Just as the fire service was shifting its resources between fires based on weather changes and need, members of the CSP remained flexible and shifted resources as well.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"pullout alignleft\">Considerations for Crisis Leadership<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Develop partnerships with other police and first responder agencies prior to a crisis and rely on them for mutual support when the need arises.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure the capability for effective and efficient communication across all partner organizations.<\/li>\n<li>Leverage the need for unified and multiagency incident command to develop rising leaders in the agency.<\/li>\n<li>Define roles before a crisis hits, including lead organization and support agencies for specific incident types or jurisdictions.<\/li>\n<li>Embrace agility and flexibility (including geographical flexibility).<\/li>\n<li>Maintain regular service as much as possible while handling crisis. Those not involved in the crisis also need police support and response.<\/li>\n<li>Be attentive to the demands on employees, both internally (long shifts, high-stress environment, physical hazards) and externally (e.g., families, need to evacuate, illness.) and ensure meeting staffing demands does not severely impact officer well-being. Provide resources to help employees preserve their wellness during times of high intensity.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/aside>\n<p>Leadership is essential during a time of crisis. Many would likely argue that 2020 was an entire year plagued by one crisis after another. However, it will also be remembered as a year that required law enforcement to be agile, confront change head on, and find solutions to problems that hadn\u2019t existed in 2019. Although extremely challenging, police agencies have taken on each new demand with professionalism and service in mind. It is the CSP\u2019s goal to protect the communities it serves, and in 2020, this service was different than what was typical in the past.<\/p>\n<p>During the wildfire response, the CSP was reminded of the importance of building partnerships with local authorities, first responders, and stakeholders. Taking time to build partnerships before a crisis occurs is imperative.<\/p>\n<p>The CSP also found a renewed dedication to the ICS and encouraged first-line supervisors to staff some of the positions within it. Allowing first-line supervisors seats at the proverbial \u201ctable\u201d allows them the opportunity to gain firsthand experience and prepares them for future leadership positions. Due to the many wildfires and other critical incidents throughout the state, leadership was required to take an organization-wide approach to allocating resources in an effort to staff essential positions. Regions, districts, troop boundaries, primary job duties, and other such factors no longer applied. The CSP was one team, working together for the collective success of the safety and security of the people within the state of Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>Member wellness has been a top priority of the CSP for some time, but when leadership is asking members to respond to crisis after crisis, leaders must be mindful of members\u2019 well-being. Through internal partnership and communication, leaders were able to balance days off and work assignments for maximum coverage and work-life balance. The CSP continues to work to ensure and support member well-being, weaving that focus into the organizational culture.<\/p>\n<p>The most effective leadership strategies during crisis management were utilizing strong partnerships; communicating effectively, both internally and externally; and prioritizing organizational needs and resources in order to execute the mission at hand.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #0071b9;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<aside class=\"pullout alignleft\"><strong>IACP Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Alternative Methods for Delivering Essential Law Enforcement Services<\/li>\n<li>Operational Workload Assessments<\/li>\n<li>Community-Police Engagement: Agency Considerations Checklist for Civil Demonstration Response<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theiacp.org\/\">theIACP.org<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/aside>\n<p>The policing profession has faced many challenges in 2020, but with effective leadership, organizations have shown they can overcome challenges and adversity. It is important for leaders in law enforcement to acknowledge that agencies can\u2019t be successful in facing emerging crises alone; it takes partnering with others to truly meet the needs of the communities the police serve. In addition, agency members are an organization\u2019s greatest asset\u2014and, without their members\u2019 engagement and well-being, agencies cannot achieve their mission. It\u2019s all about people and communication. Police officers are public servants who signed up to answer the call for service, and service can be improved only if organizations can rely on one another during times of crisis. As wildfires raged across Colorado, the CSP\u2019s strength came from operating as one team.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><sup>1<\/sup> Denver7, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2020\/12\/02\/cameron-peak-fire-100-percent-contained\/\">Cameron Peak Fire\u2014Colorado\u2019s Largest Wildfire on Record\u2014Now 100% Contained<\/a>,\u201d <em>Denver Post<\/em>, December 22, 2020.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"pullout pullout--wide alignleft\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61091\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bonfield-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bonfield-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bonfield-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bonfield-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bonfield-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bonfield-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bonfield-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 125px) 100vw, 125px\" \/><big><strong>Mark Bonfield<\/strong> has served with the Colorado State Patrol for move than 26 years, where he currently leads Troop 3C, including the northern corridor of Interstate 25, into Wyoming. His diverse background includes assignments in the field, professional standards, and the business intelligence unit.<\/big><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61092\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rapp-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rapp-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rapp-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rapp-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rapp-1228x1536.jpg 1228w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rapp-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Rapp-scaled.jpg 2047w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 125px) 100vw, 125px\" \/><big><strong>Jared Rapp<\/strong> is a captain with the Colorado State Patrol currently serving in Troop 4C. Troop 4C consists of five counties centered in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. He has been with the CSP for 19 years leading field operations as both a sergeant and captain.<\/big><\/aside>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Please cite as<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Mark Bonfield and Jared Rapp, \u201cLeadership in the Face of Fire: Colorado\u2019s Response to the 2020 Wildfires,\u201d <em>Police Chief<\/em> 88, no. 2 (February 2021): 36\u201341.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Leading through crisis had a much different meaning in 2020 than it did in past years.\u00a0Historically, incidents or disasters under the police\u2019s purview come and go within a short time period. However, in 2020, law enforcement was faced with an ongoing global pandemic; legislative police reform stemming from systemic racism and inequality; civil unrest and riots; and in Colorado, some of the state\u2019s largest wildfires in history. In the face of these crises, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) continues to strive toward achieving its mission through the development and implementation of multifaceted strategies that are adaptive, innovative, and strategic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4042,"featured_media":61063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137],"tags":[1487,1754,190,1755],"class_list":["post-61078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","tag-command-center","tag-crises","tag-leadership","tag-wildfires"],"acf":{"subtitle":"","post_author":"Mark Bonfield, Captain, and Jared Rapp, Captain, Colorado State Patrol","main_category":"Leadership","legacy_article_id":"","legacy_issue_id":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.4 (Yoast SEO v24.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Leadership in the Face of Fire - Police Chief Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Leadership in the Face of Fire\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Leading through crisis had a much different meaning in 2020 than it did in past years.\u00a0Historically, incidents or disasters under the police\u2019s purview come and go within a short time period. However, in 2020, law enforcement was faced with an ongoing global pandemic; legislative police reform stemming from systemic racism and inequality; civil unrest and riots; and in Colorado, some of the state\u2019s largest wildfires in history. In the face of these crises, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) continues to strive toward achieving its mission through the development and implementation of multifaceted strategies that are adaptive, innovative, and strategic.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Police Chief Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheIACP\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-02-01T13:00:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1709\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Margaret White\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@TheIACP\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@TheIACP\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Margaret White\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Margaret White\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8ccef21069086f34ed017e84cdf4fe52\"},\"headline\":\"Leadership in the Face of Fire\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-02-01T13:00:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/\"},\"wordCount\":3259,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"command center\",\"crises\",\"leadership\",\"wildfires\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Leadership\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/\",\"name\":\"Leadership in the Face of Fire - Police Chief Magazine\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-02-01T13:00:14+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1709},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Leadership in the Face of Fire\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/\",\"name\":\"Police Chief Magazine\",\"description\":\"Police Chief Magazine\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Police Chief Magazine\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-name-blue.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-name-blue.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":246,\"caption\":\"Police Chief Magazine\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheIACP\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheIACP\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/theiacp\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/international-association-of-chiefs-of-police\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8ccef21069086f34ed017e84cdf4fe52\",\"name\":\"Margaret White\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7b67fdacd41a113c9b50b72876662774?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7b67fdacd41a113c9b50b72876662774?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Margaret White\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/author\/nimble__whitetheiacp-org\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Leadership in the Face of Fire - Police Chief Magazine","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Leadership in the Face of Fire","og_description":"Leading through crisis had a much different meaning in 2020 than it did in past years.\u00a0Historically, incidents or disasters under the police\u2019s purview come and go within a short time period. However, in 2020, law enforcement was faced with an ongoing global pandemic; legislative police reform stemming from systemic racism and inequality; civil unrest and riots; and in Colorado, some of the state\u2019s largest wildfires in history. In the face of these crises, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) continues to strive toward achieving its mission through the development and implementation of multifaceted strategies that are adaptive, innovative, and strategic.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/","og_site_name":"Police Chief Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheIACP","article_published_time":"2021-02-01T13:00:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1709,"url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Margaret White","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@TheIACP","twitter_site":"@TheIACP","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Margaret White","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/"},"author":{"name":"Margaret White","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8ccef21069086f34ed017e84cdf4fe52"},"headline":"Leadership in the Face of Fire","datePublished":"2021-02-01T13:00:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/"},"wordCount":3259,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg","keywords":["command center","crises","leadership","wildfires"],"articleSection":["Leadership"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/","url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/","name":"Leadership in the Face of Fire - Police Chief Magazine","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2021-02-01T13:00:14+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1709},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/leadership-in-the-face-of-fire\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Leadership in the Face of Fire"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/","name":"Police Chief Magazine","description":"Police Chief Magazine","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#organization","name":"Police Chief Magazine","url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-name-blue.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-name-blue.png","width":500,"height":246,"caption":"Police Chief Magazine"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheIACP","https:\/\/x.com\/TheIACP","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/theiacp\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/international-association-of-chiefs-of-police\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8ccef21069086f34ed017e84cdf4fe52","name":"Margaret White","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7b67fdacd41a113c9b50b72876662774?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7b67fdacd41a113c9b50b72876662774?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Margaret White"},"url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/author\/nimble__whitetheiacp-org\/"}]}},"category_objects":[{"term_id":137,"name":"Leadership","slug":"leadership","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":137,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":126,"count":194,"filter":"raw"}],"thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/416-Durango-Fire-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4042"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61078"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61132,"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61078\/revisions\/61132"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}