Leadership Behaviours for Effective Policing

An essential handbook of policing leadership behavioural skills for both professional police officers and policing students aspiring to join the force. The behaviours examined are of relevance to all ranks and roles, from a newly appointed police constable to an executive officer.

Behavioural soft skills are essential to effective policing practice and professional development, and are particularly significant in leadership and management roles. This handbook examines the key leadership behaviours and focuses on discreet aspects within policing as well as describing a career timeline. In addition it provides a unique opportunity for leaders to articulate the effects the Covid-19 pandemic has had on law enforcement, examining the impact on policing behaviours and what the blockages are.

Each chapter is written by a well-established serving police leader or policing scholar, bringing together a wealth of experience and understanding and applying this knowledge in context through key case studies and examples. It bridges the gap between theory and practice so readers can apply what they have learnt to their policing roles and effectively formulate and describe their own leadership philosophy and style.

This is a companion book to Behavioural Skills for Effective Policing.              

1. Introduction: so what? 
2. Influence and persuasion: the contribution of psychologists 
3. Leading policing volunteers 
4. Police performance management: back to the future 
5. Policing behaviours in a patriarchal society 
6. Leading with political awareness 
7. Values-based leadership in a performance driven world 
8. Influencing without authority; the importance of systems thinking
9. Personal and organisational accountability 
10. Police professionalisation and culture 
11. The ethical police leader 
12. Operational leadership: from day-to-day policing to post incident management 
13. Leaders are dealers in hope: personal reflections of police leadership and reform 
14. Navigating in a stormy sea 
15. Leading without authority

Mark Kilgallon works with individuals, teams, organisations, including the UK police service, and strategic partnerships to help them deliver what is at the core of their purpose. He is an Honorary Professor at Nottingham Trent University with academic interests in formal and informal leadership, organisational cultures, and power dynamics within teams.

Martin Wright is a former police officer and creator of the community safety initiative ‘Radio Links’. He is currently Managing Editor of the Oxford Journal of Policing, a volunteer with Dyfed Powys Police and a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at Canterbury Christ Church University.