The New Normal

It wasn’t too long ago that the term “reimagining police” surfaced and while the term may have felt good to some, the lack of any definition or specifics should have sounded alarm bells for every law enforcement leader.

Not only did many leaders not hear the alarm, but they actively participated in a theoretical ideology that had no basis in research, facts, or data and we are now living under the conditions of this failure of leadership.

Prior to fancy words taking the place of our core mission, becoming a peace officer was one of the hardest things to do. Some agencies had hiring lists that stretched out years while retirement tenures went from 20 to 30 to 40 years. The profession was riding a wave of technological advancements combined with solid police work that drove violent crime down in every major city.

Frankly, we rested on our achievements and when justified police shootings turned into accusations of “systematic racism” and riots, we froze and we haven’t thawed out yet.

Chaos Reigns
It shouldn't have surprised anyone that when anti-cop groups suddenly had the funding and thus the platform to push their agenda, they did and the politicians listened and just like sheep wanting to hold on to their jobs, many police leaders fell right into the mix.

The results of this epic failure in law enforcement leadership is well known but I have a greater fear.

The New Normal
There is only one path to success for the reimagining crowd. They know exactly what they have done and what they have accomplished but they also know that the enemy of reimagining policing is the observation of what that reimagining has actually done to society.

That’s where the concept of the “new normal” comes in. If the current conditions continue, there will be no going back because what is now seen by anyone with a brain as chaos, will be seen as the “new normal” in a not too distant future.

There are some communities that are already existing in the “new normal” and there is no helping them. Just last year, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler promised that he would reduce murders by 10% over two years. While he garnered applause for his bold initiative, the community seemed to forget that under his tenure, homicides jumped 65%.

Welcome to the “new normal.”

The "New Normal" is one of the most dangerous phenomenons to ever occur to law enforcement and the communities they serve.

It is not normal to have a recruiting crisis.

It is not normal to have a retention problem.

It is not normal to entice new hires with bonuses.

It is not normal to have rising crime and record homicide rates.

It is not normal for municipal agencies to disband.

It is not normal for a police officer to be shot.

It is not normal for homeless camps, feces, and trash to litter our streets.

It is not normal to tell law enforcement that only “guardians” are wanted while record high violence plagues many of our cities.

It is not normal for violent criminals to be arrested and released at the same time.

This is not normal!

The "new normal" is about making you feel like you have done something wrong versus the cowardly leaders that watched, enabled, and permitted this to occur.

On Courage
To say it will take courage to lead the profession out of the disaster is an understatement and honestly, I’m frightful that it won’t be done. From some of our own police organizations to our own leaders, they participate in the “new normal” daily. From fancy pledges to policy changes that have everything to do with emotion and lies, those that are supposed to be leading us are trying to play the cool “reimagining” game while crime soars and cops leave.

This is why a principled based leadership approach is needed and more today than ever. This isn’t about certificates and certifications…this is about the survival of law and order and if we don’t grasp what it takes to protect our citizens, that protection will be eliminated and the new normal will become normal.

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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 across the world. 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.