Roles, Chief Executives’

The Traditional Role of the Chief Executive

Law enforcement executives are responsible to many factions and their roles change depending on to which faction they are responding. The most obvious faction is the law enforcement agency in which they work. The chief executive is expected to protect the organization and employees from inappropriate influences, develop future leaders for succession, create a career path for employees, maintain ethical standards for all employees at all levels, and provide resources and leadership that allows the agency to meet community expectations and to progress forward so that it may meet the unforeseen challenges of the future.

Chief executives are also responsible to the communities served by their agencies. They are expected to communicate with the community in a timely fashion and to be open and honest regarding all topics. The community expects to work with the police in a partnership and for the police to understand community needs. Chief executives must also mediate differences between what the community expects and what the agency can or should offer in the way of services.

Another faction is the responsibility to the municipal, county, or state government of which the agency is a part. The governing entity expects the chief executive to deliver quality service to the community, be realistic in resource needs, and be responsive to concerns of other department members as well as the political leaders’ requests and inquiries. This is not an easy task, as the government entity usually consists of several elected and appointed public officials with diverse agendas. Chief executives must navigate these political waters yet still function in an ethical and professional manner.

Chief executives are ultimately responsible to the law enforcement profession itself. Executives in law enforcement are expected to provide leadership to the profession as a whole, develop leaders in their organizations, maintain or raise professional standards and training, and add to professional knowledge of the field.

While the traditional role of the chief executive remains essentially the same, it has added responsibilities in a community-oriented policing and problem-solving (COPPS) model.

The Role of Chief Executive in Community Policing

The role of the chief executive in community policing is extremely diverse. It begins with a specific and consistent vision of what community policing and problem solving means to the organization. While the chief executive is responsible for providing a vision, the formulation of the vision will include a broad spectrum of stakeholders from within and without the organization. The vision may not be an exact roadmap, but represents the ultimate goal. It also takes into consideration the extreme changes to the organization as a result of the new philosophy as well as the time required to implement change. Community policing is a complex process that can take years to fully accomplish.

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