Supervisors: Am I Making The Right Decision?
/Am I Making The Right Decision?
By: Lt. James Rotundo
Decisions. Life and law enforcement are full of them. Many decisions that can affect your career and life must be made correctly and quickly. Therefore, knowing how vital decision-making is, how do we become more efficient in making them? Ask yourself if you are the kind of person who finds it hard to make a decision. If so, what’s holding you back?
Over the years, I have seen officers afraid, for any number of reasons, to make a wrong decision. Sometimes this can be the direct result of poor leadership where officers are micromanaged and where every move they make is second-guessed and criticized. An environment like that will result in paralysis not only in decision-making ability but also in proactive policing. Often no decision is the result of negative environments, and in my opinion, no decision is always the wrong decision. So what can we do to solve this? Here are four tips.
Preparation: Seek a good foundation of education. What you learned in the police academy and from your field-training officer can only go so far. Enroll in every class you can. Always ask questions from those who have been in awkward positions before. Develop a network of officers who have expertise in a specific field and keep asking questions. Preparing before you are in a difficult situation can make all the difference when that time comes.
It should be noted that although no situation is the same, the similarities linking situations can help build your knowledge base. Reading and understanding case law also helps to show what other situations have been challenged and what the outcomes were. Case law is not just for lawyers! Case law is continually updating, so it’s essential to stay current with it.
Resources: Know what you have at your disposal. Why put everything on you to fix when there are people who are experts waiting to help? Make a list of your resources and highlight what each has to offer and also identify their capabilities. Keep a file or binder of them, and make sure you include contact names and phone numbers, like the old days of compiling a Rolodex. Create relationships with the people involved in these resources and organizations. Having a quick reference sheet can help when offering support to someone in need or when you need a quick answer to a question that may arise. Also, knowing the specialized positions other officers in your department are assigned is essential because they are most likely your fastest reference to information.
Policies: Know your SOPs and SOGs inside and out. Know the Attorney General Guideline, too. Know what you have to do and what you are allowed to do in certain situations. Make sure you identify whom you have to contact during and/or after an event. Taking the time to read and understand the pages set forth by your department and your state’s attorney general will be worth it. A lot of the time, you have procedures and guidelines written in black and white for you to fall back on. Keep a copy of them in a convenient place.
Plan: Developing a plan is paramount to success. I know the saying, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” but the truth is the ones without a plan are often the ones who make wrong decisions and find themselves in situations they cannot get out of. If your plan is on point, you will know the resources you can use, and the things you must do and can do. Making a plan will help you make decisions quickly.
Working to make the right decision that could affect your life and the lives of others forever is worth the effort. You will increase your confidence in our chosen profession. Your coworkers will respect you. You will also inspire younger officers to be better, and your superiors will trust you. Decision-making is only as difficult as you make it. Put the time in to improve your ability. You and your department are worth it. Good luck, and always stay safe out there!
James Rotundo is a lieutenant in a northern New Jersey police department. In his police career, he led the detective bureau for several years before becoming a Patrol Tour Commander. He is the President and Founder of the Forgotten Brothers Motorcycle Club, an organization that honors fallen members of the military and public safety organizations.
