Promoting Ethical and Effective Leadership for Law Enforcement and

Public Safety Organizations:

What it Means to Me

LEPSL 599 Integrative Capstone

Jennifer Estrada

September 30, 2018

 Promoting ethical and effective leadership for law enforcement and public safety

organizations is instrumental in maintaining a healthy organization and building trust within the

community. My first course in the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership program was

Organizational Leadership. The course outlined theories, concepts, frameworks, and the various

approaches associated with leadership. The comprehensive overview of leadership styles

enhanced my skills as a leader and enforced the principles of effective leadership.

I have been in law enforcement for 24 years, 21 of those years in a leadership capacity.

Although I have attended numerous generic leadership courses, this curriculum was a learning

experience that exposed me to scientific research and methodologies that were outside of the law

enforcement purview. In my fourth paper, Forms of Leadership, I discuss Transactional and

Transformational Leadership and the appropriate usage of each theory based on the challenge.

In my sixth paper, Personal Reflections, I had the opportunity to conduct a self-assessment

regarding my leadership strengths and weaknesses. For my seventh and final project, I

assembled an instructional presentation on a leadership problem that was impacting my agency.

My fourth paper, Forms of Leadership, I examined transactional, transformational and

strategic leadership. I discuss how transactional leadership can be applied in a work setting and

how I have utilized this style to accomplish a major goal within my agency. I outlined my

leadership challenge explaining how I took over an ineffective unit that was void of structure and

discipline. I utilized transactional leadership enforcing supervision, held employees accountable

for their work performance, and applied discipline when appropriate. I further entailed how once

the unit was successful, I utilized transformational leadership to enforce good behaviors which

resulted in an efficient and highly regarded unit. In closing, I explained if the wrong leadership
style is utilized in a leadership challenge, it can have toxic consequences on the morale of the

personnel and ultimately the department.

My sixth paper, Personnel Reflections, I was given the opportunity to conduct a self-

assessment that allowed me to examine my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. The premise

of the module was Power, Influence, and Persuasion. The tools that were taught can be applied

to the unique challenges that are present in law enforcement. With this foundation and a firm

understanding of my abilities, I can effectively lead my organization in an effective and

influential manner.

For my seventh and final project, I identified a leadership challenge within my

organization and prepared an instructional presentation on how to resolve the issue. I utilized the

tools discussed throughout the course and applied the three-step process in Lewin’s Model for

Change, strategies on how to manage resistance to change, and highlighted transformational

leadership as a viable means to solve the challenge.

The Organizational Leadership curriculum was thought provoking and expanded my

leadership skillset. Contemporary police departments rely on the support of the community to be

effective and the dedication of personnel to be efficient. It is imperative that as a leader, I

enforce ethical and effective leadership to maintain a healthy organization and to maintain trust

within the community I proudly serve.