In the chief business, there is always talk of the right fit or the right person for a particular job. Rarely does this ever mean qualifications but more personality and ability to mesh with the administrative team of the municipality. Kinda like finding the right date; what matters is not their pedigree but if you can get along with them.
Types of Chiefs
To me there are three types of chiefs: caretakers, undertakers and risk-takers. Let's explore each and the type of job they will best fit. The caretaker chief is one that will not rock the administration's boat, will play well in the administrative team's sandbox and will not ruffle the officer's/union's feathers. These are often the inside candidate, know who to toady up to and who to leave alone. It is often the aide-de-camp or what I call the knight in-waiting. He or she will play well with others and will not change anything. The city administration will love them for they are the ultimate team player. Often times they have the ties to places that get them there or part of the system. They sometimes don't have the qualifications but possess the other intangibles; which is what gets them there.
The undertaker is the hired gun of the three. They are brought in for a purpose, often as an outside interim or often referred to as the hatchet man. They will have a short term contract attached to the city father's to-do list, and be careful you are not on it. There is something that must be dealt with such as breaking up a click, in right-to-work states union organizers or departments that are so ingrained that they need shaking if not breaking up. They are hired to bury something or even tear it down to rebuild it. These are outsiders; their personalities are as short as their contracts and have more agendas than ties to the community. They serve the purpose for the organization and they are there for their mission. Often not on the holiday card list of many for they purge the staff rather than uplift them. Not liked except by their employer and then they move on to other challenges.
The risk-taker to me is the true chief but often not the one that is selected. Those tasked with hiring a chief will not select the risk-taker; not unless they are willing to face or desire facing problems and truly desire positive change. The risk-takers are those who are willing to invest their lives and sweat equity into a new department. Many are taking the risk of leaving a vested position and starting anew, most often putting their family and economic stability at risk. These are often the ones that come in with improvements on their plates such achieving accreditation, revamping the culture or improving retention, recruiting or promotional processes. They are willing to take the risk of changing the department's culture from that of door-knob shakers to crime fighters. These are often what most describe as a cop's chief. They are few and far between but hope you have one at least once in your life.
If I have offended any chiefs in this column, sorry but you know it is true; so deal with it. This column is directed to the young commanders that are pondering the idea of breaking into the chief's market. As you read the job profile, ask if you are the right person for the job. It matters not, that this department or city is a dream location. If you are not the best fit for the job, you will neither be happy nor successful. Make sure you are the type of chief that this job is requiring.
Finally, be careful what you seek. The point here is that in this business, the selection committee does not often pick the best candidate with the best resume. There as too many intangibles that falls into the mix. If you are seeking a position and don't get it, don't give up. You will be surprised where you can land in life. Just do yourself one favor, when you make decisions: remember what it was like to have been a street cop and how it affects them. To me, we need more of the cop's kind of chief in life.
William L. Harvey | Chief
William L. "Bill" Harvey is a U.S. Army Military Police Corps veteran. He has a BA in criminology from St. Leo University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute of the University of Louisville (103rd AOC). Harvey served for over 23 years with the Savannah (GA) Police Department in field operations, investigations and completed his career as the director of training. Served as the chief of police of the Lebanon City Police Dept (PA) for over seven years and then ten years as Chief of Police for the Ephrata Police Dept (PA). In retirement he continues to publish for professional periodicals and train.
