Nov 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.11

FROM THE

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGEThe Supervisor You Don’t Want to BeHave you ever had a supervisorwho, when you heard their voiceon the radio, you literally cringedor made some contorted face?Or maybe whenever you saw thatsupervisor, you turned the otherway or avoided whatever street orblock they were on?Let’s be honest — some supervisorsare genuinely good peoplewho try to be fair and do a solidjob. But every now and then…whew. Along comes one whomakes your heart sink and yourblood pressure rise.You know the type — loud,obnoxious, overbearing, micromanaging,and at times just plainmean or hostile. As if the job itselfisn’t tough enough, now you’vegot to deal with that. Having asupervisor you might need to aska question of someday, but you’drather face a grizzly bear freshout of hibernation — well, that’snot all that uncommon at somepoint in a career.Now, to be fair, some employeesbring the wrath of a supervisorupon themselves. Those aren’t thefolks I’m talking about. Not evenclose. I’m talking about the oneswho, with great calculation andintent, seem to make everyonearound them miserable. Why? Becausethat’s how they were treated.And now, they’re just repeatingthe cycle.It’s a learned behavior. Somepeople get promoted, and theonly examples they’ve ever hadwere terrible ones. So, they carrythat same behavior forward, andeveryone else pays the price. Youcan send new supervisors to everyleadership school in the country,but if the only examples they’vehad are bad ones, guess what?That’s the kind of supervisorthey’ll become.Being a supervisor isn’t easy.There’s always a problem to solve— and rarely enough support,money, or equipment to solve itthe right way. But that doesn’tgive you a free pass to be an a$$to the people who work for you.“Lead by example” might not havebeen the example you got, and Iunderstand that. But you can stopthat pattern by refusing to carry iton. Be the kind of supervisor youwish you’d had. Lead by example,because now, you are the example.Sure, it’s always easier to passthe buck or kick the can down theroad. But is that being a good supervisor?Absolutely not. That kindof lazy or indifferent behavioronly makes things worse. If youdon’t care — or can’t care — don’tbecome a supervisor. If you thinkyou’re better than everyone else,don’t become a supervisor. And ifyou think you’re God’s gift to lawenforcement and you’re going tosolve every problem ever faced bya supervisor — please, for the loveof God — don’t become a supervisor.It won’t end well for yourtroops or for you.Nearly two decades as a supervisorand Chief of Police taughtme plenty of lessons — somegood, some not so good. But onestands out: if your heart’s not init, and you’re not doing the job tomake life a little better for thepeople who work for you, thenyou have no business being a supervisor.None at all.Lastly, look — no one likes ajerk. And we all know when we’rebeing one. Male or female, newor old supervisor, you know whenyou’re just being difficult andwhen you’re trying to teach a lessonfor a reason. Choose the higherroad. Treat your people right.Stand up for them. Ask them oncein a while if they’re okay. Hell, askthem if they want a day off — reallysend them into a frenzy.There’s no such thing as a“Perfect Supervisor” or a “PerfectChief.” There just isn’t. Don’t try tobe one. You’ll only wear yourselfdown with a broken body, heart,and soul. Just do your best. Giveyour best. The rest will follow.And who knows — maybe nexttime, your troops won’t cringewhen they hear your voice on theradio.Stay sharp. Stay safe. God bless.8 The BLUES NOVEMBER ‘25

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