None of us becomes who we are alone, and much of my beliefs and principles on law enforcement can be traced to one man.
Tulsa Police Officer Walt Milner.
It’s been 28 years since I was able to talk to Walt (He died in 1997), but he was always in my thoughts as I navigated my law enforcement career, and his voice rings constantly in me as I navigate life today.
Walt had no rank, but he was one of the greatest leaders I've ever had the pleasure to work with.
Here is what made him great:
Sacrifice
Walt had 29 years of service when I sat down next to him as a rookie cop in shift briefing for the first time. He could have worked any shift, but he chose to work nights. When I asked him why, he told me that his job was to mentor young cops like me, and to do that, you can’t work days.
Caring
Walt truly cared about you as a person. Sure, there were plenty of lessons about police work, but when it came to life, he excelled. I still remember him lecturing me about the importance of spending more time with my family and other life lessons. Ultimately, he demonstrated this care through the time he spent with kids half his age.
Resilience
The term resilience wasn’t even in our vocabulary 30 years ago, but if it were, it would have been a picture of Walt Milner. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be an African American police officer in the tumultuous 1960s, but the internal scars that Walt possessed never healed. His daughter, Denise Milner, was murdered in 1977, in what would become known worldwide as the Girl Scout Murders. Walt never spoke about it with me, but on certain calls involving children, you could see the torture inside of him.
Vulnerability
Walt would often open up to me about his struggles. Sometimes it was his marriage that crumbled after the ultimate tragedy, or it was a reliance on the bottle to get through the nights. He once told me he questioned God, but quickly said that he often speaks to his pastor.
What I didn’t know at the time is that Walt was foreshadowing my career and life ahead. While I would never suffer the trauma at a level Walt navigated, the trauma, pain, and questioning would come, and those conversations with Walt would always serve as a foundation to find the light on the other side.
Leadership Has No Rank
I have no idea where I would be today if it weren’t for Walt Milner, but the impact he made on my life can be emulated by all. All it takes is an investment.
An investment in time with others and the willingness to care.
The greatest lesson I ever received in leadership didn’t come from a fancy class or someone with collar brass. It came from my friend and mentor, Walt Milner.
Want to know more about Courageous Leadership?
I had the honor to tell the story of Walt Milner in my book, The Courageous Police Leader.
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Dr. Travis Yates retired as a commander with a large municipal police department after 30 years of service. He is the author of “The Courageous Police Leader: A Survival Guide for Combating Cowards, Chaos & Lies.” His risk management and leadership seminars have been taught to thousands of professionals worldwide. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy with a Doctorate Degree in Strategic Leadership and the CEO of the Courageous Police Leadership Alliance.
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