Part I began with Encounter and led us toward Trust. But
trust, once earned, creates a responsibility.
Ethical leadership cannot remain
an idea. It must become a way of living, a way of serving, and ultimately, a
way of becoming. The next eleven principles carry that journey forward.
They move from Presence and Compassion into Discipline and
Collaboration, and then toward the deeper virtues of Prudence, Character,
Fortitude, and Temperance. Along the way, they ask something increasingly
demanding of the leader: not simply how we lead others, but how we continue to
form ourselves.
Looking back upon the development of these principles, I
remain grateful for the people and experiences through which they have emerged.
As a person of faith, I see in that unfolding the grace of God at work through
His people—the officers, leaders, educators, first responders, colleagues, and
countless others whose lives and service have continually taught me that
leadership is ultimately an act of stewardship.
Part I asked how ethical leadership begins.
Part II asks what it requires of us once we have begun.
And that next step begins with something deceptively simple:
Presence.
PRINCIPLE NO. 11 — PRESENCE
Presence makes authentic human
encounter possible.
BEING FULLY PRESENT
Leadership requires more than
occupying the room. It requires being fully present to the people in it.
In law enforcement, presence can
communicate something before a word is spoken. An officer who gives a victim
his or her full attention, a supervisor who puts aside distractions to listen
to an officer, or a leader who remains beside someone during a difficult moment
communicates that the person before them matters.
My experiences in precincts and
roll calls have reinforced this repeatedly. Sometimes presence is expressed
through a conversation. Sometimes through a handshake. Sometimes simply by
remaining with someone when there is nothing immediate to say.
Presence also matters when the
person needing attention is wearing the uniform. Officers spend their careers
being present for others. Ethical leadership recognizes that they, too, deserve
the presence of someone willing to see them, hear them, and stand beside them.
Presence is therefore more than
attentiveness.
It is a form of service.
When a leader is fully present,
people know they have not been overlooked.
And sometimes, before anything can
be said, solved, or changed, the most important message a leader can give is
simple:
I am here.
PRINCIPLE NO. 12 — COMPASSION
Compassion calls us to accompany
others in suffering.
THE COURAGE TO WALK BESIDE ANOTHER
Compassion begins when we
recognize that another person's suffering cannot always be solved, but it can
be accompanied.
For law enforcement professionals,
compassion does not diminish strength or professionalism. Officers encounter
people at some of the most painful moments of their lives—victims, families,
children, colleagues, and sometimes fellow officers carrying wounds that remain
unseen. To respond with compassion is to recognize the person behind the
circumstance and to treat that person with dignity.
Compassion also belongs within the
profession itself. The protector who spends a career carrying others may
eventually need someone willing to walk beside him or her. This understanding
is central to The Wounded Protector™ philosophy and the continuing work of
Operation Resiliency.
Compassion is more than empathy.
It is the willingness to walk
beside another person with dignity, hope, and presence.
And when we are willing to
accompany others in their suffering, leadership becomes more than
responsibility.
It becomes service.
PRINCIPLE NO. 13 — DISCIPLINE
Discipline forms habits that shape
character.
THE QUIET FORMATION OF LEADERS
Ethical leadership is not formed
in a single extraordinary moment. It is formed through the habits we practice
every day.
For law enforcement professionals,
discipline extends far beyond following procedures. It is reflected in
preparation, judgment, conduct, emotional control, and the willingness to
maintain professional standards when no one is watching. The disciplined leader
understands that small choices, repeated consistently, eventually become
character.
This is especially important in a
profession where circumstances can change in an instant. Training prepares the
officer to respond; discipline helps ensure that preparation remains available
under pressure.
The same principle applies to
leadership itself. We become what we practice.
Great leadership is built through
faithful daily practice rather than extraordinary moments alone.
Discipline does not restrict
character.
It forms it.
And when disciplined individuals
bring their strengths together, another essential quality emerges:
Collaboration.
PRINCIPLE NO. 14 —
COLLABORATION
Collaboration forges unity of
purpose.
THE STRENGTH OF WORKING TOGETHER
No leader possesses every answer.
Ethical leadership requires the humility to recognize the knowledge,
experience, and perspective that others bring to the mission.
In 21st-century policing,
collaboration can bring together officers, supervisors, mental health
professionals, clergy, educators, medical professionals, community leaders, and
others whose expertise can strengthen the protection of those we serve. It is not
a surrender of authority. It is an acknowledgment that complex human problems
are rarely solved by one person or one profession alone.
My work with law enforcement has
repeatedly reinforced the value of authentic partnership. The most meaningful
collaboration begins with listening, respect, and a willingness to deliberate
before acting. It builds relationships rather than simply exchanging
information.
This is especially important when
addressing the needs of the protector. The Wounded Protector™ philosophy
reminds us that healing and resilience are strengthened through relationships,
not isolation.
Collaboration does not diminish
leadership.
It multiplies its reach.
When people bring their knowledge,
experience, and gifts together around a common purpose, the mission becomes
stronger—and those we serve are better protected.
PRINCIPLE NO. 15 — EMPATHY
Empathy sincerely seeks to
understand.
THE DISCIPLINE OF UNDERSTANDING
Empathy begins with the
willingness to see a situation from another person's perspective. It does not
require agreement, approval, or surrender of professional judgment. It requires
something more fundamental: the willingness to understand before reaching a
conclusion.
For law enforcement professionals,
that distinction matters. Officers routinely encounter people whose
circumstances, experiences, fears, or motivations may be very different from
their own. Empathy allows the officer to recognize the human reality within the
situation while still exercising lawful authority and sound judgment.
Empathy is also essential within
the profession itself. A supervisor may never know the full weight an officer
is carrying. A colleague may be confronting circumstances that are not
immediately visible. Taking the time to understand before judging can strengthen
relationships and prevent isolation.
My own experiences with officers
have repeatedly reminded me that people often reveal more when they know they
are being genuinely heard rather than immediately evaluated.
Empathy does not weaken judgment.
It deepens understanding.
And when understanding becomes the
foundation for how we respond to others, ethical leadership becomes more human,
more discerning, and more effective.
To understand another person is to
begin seeing the world from where they stand.
PRINCIPLE NO. 16 — HUMILITY
Humility places others before
self.
THE STRENGTH TO PUT OTHERS FIRST
Humility is not weakness,
uncertainty, or a diminished sense of self. It is the strength to recognize
that leadership is not ultimately about being important. It is about being
responsible for others.
For those entrusted with
authority, humility creates the willingness to listen, to learn, to acknowledge
mistakes, and to recognize the contributions of others. A humble leader does
not need to have every answer or occupy every conversation. He or she understands
that wisdom can come from anywhere—and that leadership is strengthened when
others are given the opportunity to contribute.
This is especially important in
law enforcement, where rank and responsibility establish necessary lines of
authority. Humility does not diminish those distinctions. It reminds the leader
that authority is a trust, not a privilege of personal importance.
The image of officers gathered in
service outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral captures that understanding. They stand
together not as individuals seeking recognition, but as members of a profession
larger than themselves, united by a responsibility to serve.
Humility turns authority away from
self and toward others.
And when a leader is willing to
place others before self, leadership becomes less about position and more about
service.
PRINCIPLE NO. 17 — VIGILANCE
Vigilance is disciplined
awareness.
THE DUTY TO REMAIN WATCHFUL
Vigilance is more than alertness.
It is the disciplined willingness to remain attentive to what is happening
around us, recognize emerging risks, and remain prepared to act when
circumstances require it.
For the law enforcement
professional, vigilance is part of the vocation. Officers are trained to
observe what others may overlook, anticipate danger, protect those who may be
vulnerable, and remain prepared when a situation changes without warning. Ethical
vigilance extends beyond physical safety. It includes awareness of morale,
organizational culture, ethical drift, and the well-being of fellow protectors.
A vigilant leader does not wait
for a crisis to reveal what could have been recognized earlier.
Vigilance keeps leaders attentive,
prepared, and faithful to the responsibility entrusted to them.
But awareness alone is not enough.
The vigilant leader must also know
how to discern what matters, what deserves attention, and what course of action
is right.
That requires Prudence.
PRINCIPLE NO. 18 — PRUDENCE
Prudence is wisdom in action.
THE WISDOM TO DISCERN
Prudence is the virtue that turns
knowledge into sound judgment. It asks the leader to pause, consider the
circumstances, weigh the consequences, and choose wisely.
In 21st-century policing, where
decisions may have immediate and lasting consequences, prudence is essential.
It does not mean hesitation or indecision. It means having the discipline to
distinguish between what can be done and what should be done.
The prudent leader understands
that experience alone does not guarantee wisdom. Good judgment requires
reflection, discernment, and the humility to consider perspectives beyond one's
own.
Prudence is not simply knowing
what to do. It is knowing what is right to do, and when.
When vigilance alerts us to what
demands our attention, prudence helps us determine how we should respond.
And ethical judgment ultimately
finds its purpose in Justice.
PRINCIPLE NO. 19 — JUSTICE
Justice ensures fairness,
impartiality, and the rule of law.
THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE FAIR
Justice requires more than
enforcing rules. It requires the disciplined exercise of authority with
fairness, impartiality, and fidelity to the law.
For those entrusted with the
badge, that responsibility is fundamental. Officers and leaders must be
prepared to make difficult decisions without allowing personal preference,
pressure, emotion, or circumstance to determine what is right. Justice asks us
to see the person, understand the facts, respect due process, and apply the law
with consistency and integrity.
The principles of 21st-century
policing ultimately depend upon public confidence that authority will be
exercised fairly. When people believe that the law is applied with impartiality
and that their dignity will be respected, legitimacy is strengthened.
Justice also reminds the leader
that authority belongs to the office, not to the individual.
The badge carries responsibility
to the law, not privilege above it.
And when justice is guided by
wisdom, courage, and fidelity to principle, the leader becomes better prepared
to face adversity.
That requires Fortitude.
PRINCIPLE NO. 20 — FORTITUDE
Fortitude is unwavering courage.
THE COURAGE TO PERSEVERE
Fortitude is the strength to
remain steadfast when circumstances become difficult. It enables the leader to
face adversity without surrendering principle, to continue when the path
becomes uncertain, and to stand firm when others may be tempted to step away.
For law enforcement professionals,
courage is not limited to confronting physical danger. It also appears in the
quieter demands of the profession—the ability to endure loss, withstand
pressure, carry responsibility, recover from adversity, and continue serving
with integrity.
This is where emotional fortitude
becomes essential. The protector may be called to carry others physically,
emotionally, or spiritually. Yet protectors themselves can become wounded. The
Wounded Protector™ reminds us that resilience does not mean pretending we are
unaffected; it means finding the strength to continue, and sometimes the
humility to allow others to carry us.
The Liberation Monument that has
become part of this principle's visual story captures that truth with
extraordinary simplicity: one protector carrying another.
Fortitude is not the absence of
hardship. It is the strength to remain faithful through it.
And courage reaches its fullest
expression when it is governed not by impulse, but by discipline.
That final virtue is Temperance.
PRINCIPLE NO. 21 — TEMPERANCE
Temperance is disciplined
self-control.
THE DISCIPLINE TO MASTER SELF
Temperance is the virtue that
governs the self—the emotions, impulses, attitudes, and reactions that can
influence judgment and conduct. For the leader entrusted with authority,
self-control is not weakness. It is strength deliberately governed.
In 21st-century policing, officers
may encounter anger, provocation, fear, frustration, conflict, and uncertainty
in a matter of seconds. The ability to remain composed, exercise restraint, and
respond according to principle rather than impulse is essential to professional
and ethical service.
Temperance also reminds leaders
that authority must be exercised with discipline. The strongest person in the
room is not necessarily the one with the greatest power, but the one who
possesses the greatest command of self.
At its deepest level, temperance
becomes disciplined self-mastery—the lifelong effort to govern ourselves so
that our emotions, desires, and authority remain faithful to what is right.
True strength is measured not by
the power we possess, but by the discipline with which we exercise it.
And that brings The Reawakening
America Principles™ to its final principle—and to a conclusion that began with
the very first:
ethical leadership begins with
self-leadership.
FINAL REFLECTIONS
THE WORK OF FORMING LEADERS
The Reawakening America
Principles™ were developed from a conviction strengthened through decades of
service: that the future of 21st-century policing depends not only upon what
officers know or what technology enables them to do, but upon the character of
the people entrusted with authority.
For more than twenty-five years,
my work in law enforcement advising, counseling, and training has repeatedly
brought me to the same conclusion. Policies matter. Training matters. Tactics
matter. But the enduring strength of a profession ultimately rests upon the
virtues lived by the people who serve within it.
These twenty-one principles were
therefore crafted to complement that work—not to replace training, policy, or
professional standards, but to provide a human and ethical foundation beneath
them.
They are intended to help form
leaders who encounter others with dignity, exercise authority with
responsibility, listen before judging, act with integrity, summon moral courage
when principle is tested, remain vigilant and prudent, seek justice, persevere
with fortitude, and ultimately govern themselves through temperance.
The principles were developed for
21st-century policing, but their application need not end at the precinct door.
The same virtues can strengthen a
workplace, shape a school, guide a family, deepen a community, and help restore
confidence in the institutions and relationships upon which a free society
depends.
A HUMBLE INVITATION
After more than twenty-five years
of advising, counseling, and training within the law enforcement profession, I
offer these principles with both confidence in their value and humility about
their purpose. They are not intended to replace policy, training, professional
standards, or the wisdom of those who have dedicated their lives to the study
and practice of leadership. They are offered as a foundation upon which those
efforts may continue to build.
My humble prayer is that these
twenty-one principles will be considered, studied, discussed, and applied
wherever the formation of character and ethical leadership is taken
seriously—within police academies and leadership programs, in classrooms and
workplaces, in families and communities, and wherever people are entrusted with
responsibility for others.
Perhaps, in time, they may
contribute to a broader conversation among scholars, educators, law enforcement
leaders, and people of faith about the timeless virtues that sustain human
dignity and responsible service.
The principles were developed in
response to the needs of 21st-century policing.
Their deeper purpose, however, is
universal:
to help form people who use
authority with wisdom, serve others with courage and compassion, pursue justice
with integrity, and govern themselves with discipline.
That is the hope behind The
Reawakening America Principles™.
And it is my humble prayer that,
through their faithful application, they may strengthen not only those who
protect our communities, but the communities themselves—and, ultimately,
America.
THE FINAL PRINCIPLE
We began with Encounter.
We end with Temperance.
We began by learning how to
encounter another human being.
We end by learning how to govern
ourselves.
Between those two principles lies
a journey of character, dignity, responsibility, service, wisdom, justice,
courage, and trust.
Twenty-one principles. One
philosophy. A lifetime of becoming.
That, to me, is the heart of
ethical leadership in 21st-century policing.
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