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What are the best textbooks to study TODAY for YOUR police leadership exam?

"I have not ever written, and will never write, a single promotional exam question on the topic of leadership from a book written by someone who has not experienced the unique responsibility for the outcome of their decision during a law enforcement life and death incident."

- Lt. Paul Patti (ret)

 

Yes, leadership can be learned, and developed. There are some persons more able to lead than others are - but no aspect of leadership knowledge and skill is out of reach for the modern law enforcement supervisor, manager and administrator if they are willing to develop the knowledge and skills needed.



Promotional Exams for any or all of the great textbooks listed on this page can be taken by you to use as study material within the Advanced Police Promotional Testing Course at PoliceCareer.com. You can also practice with a sample police in-basket assessment.

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There is an immense volume of information on leadership. However I am going to focus on Police and Law Enforcement Leadership "almost" exclusively.

 
Why? Well, those trendy touchy-feely leadership books written for the business market, in my humble opinion, most are no match for the leadership titles written by lifelong, dedicated law enforcement professionals who have lived the life, talked the talk, and walked the walk. I have read many of them, as well as all the police leadership titles below.

"What about the U.S. Military leadership books?" you ask.

Great question. Our missions are similar. Many law enforcement leaders have had distinguished military careers. They know all about life-and-death decisions under stress, and they certainly stand accountable for those leadership decisions.

Still - very few can translate into law enforcement leadership use. We should not be writing our exams from their army field combat, S.E.A.L. or submarine leadership textbooks, and they should not be writing their military leadership exams from our civilian law enforcement leadership textbooks. We are on the same ocean, but not in the same boat. Steers differently. So for the most part - No.

My BEST piece of advice on this page? Simple - if you are heading to a supervisory or management promotion of any type - buy and read all of these police leadership books - NOW.

These my favorite ones (not in any order);

Challenging the Law Enforcement Organization - Proactive Leadership Strategies by Jack Enter, Ph.D. From me; Great book. Well written, no jargon. Short enough but not too short. You should read it, then put it down for a month or two, then read it again. From the publisher; Among the topics discussed are chapters on the impact of living and policing an unskilled and violent society, why law enforcement managers fail to successfully impact their agencies, and chapters on self-management, communication, motivation, and being more effective in our personal lives. Many of these latter “strategy” chapters have examples of proactive techniques used by law enforcement managers as well as “action items” to apply the principles examined in each chapter. Visit us for the Challenging the Law Enforcement Organization exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.

Effective Police Leadership - Moving Beyond Management, by Thomas E. Baker. From me; A very important leadership book I have used often to write a police leadership exam. From the publisher; In this much-anticipated 5th Edition, Tom Baker expands on the revolutionary leadership insights that made his first two editions so popular. This enhanced and expanded version explores even more strategies that help agencies, administrators and officers leverage crime data more efficiently and effectively. From explaining what a leader must be, do & know, to plans for putting expert-level leadership skills to work immediately, Effective Police Leadership is gold for law enforcement leaders. Great leaders aren't born, they're made...and this book makes them! Visit us for the Effective Police Leadership exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.

Leading Cops in Turbulent Times by Capt (ret) George Saadeh. From me; Excellent new leadership and management title. Well-researched timely perspective on police leadership. Now being used in police sergeant, lieutenant, captain and upper management exams. From the publisher; Leading Cops in Turbulent Times is a clear roadmap to building high-performing organizations and teams for current or aspiring public safety leaders. Whether you're a police sergeant, lieutenant, captain or even Chief or Sheriff, this book will help you build or improve the hard and soft skills that are essential to great leadership. It is replete with practical, common-sense advice and examples from historical figures and contemporary leaders that will crystalize in your mind how to build or improve your leadership skills. Visit us for the Leading Cops in Turbulent Times exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.

Fixing Broken Windows - Kelling and Coles. From me; This is an in-depth and comprehensive textbook that details the 1990s experience of police agencies around the nation implementing "order maintenance" as a focus in order to cut back crime. There has been a resurgence of interest in the Order Maintenance / Broken Windos / Crime Reduction topics and this textbook has started to be used in promotion exams.


Police Leadership and Administration: A 21st-Century Strategic Approach  - Walsh and Vito First Edition 2018 - Police Leadership and Administration trains police leaders and managers to search for strategic solutions, rather than relying on old formulas and scientific management principles. It shows how to tailor responses to the unique problems and issues that law enforcement professionals are likely to face in the complex field of police leadership, providing a foundation with which to adapt to an ever-changing criminal justice climate. This book is essential for forward-thinking police leadership courses in colleges and professional training programs. This textbook is an excellent candidate for police promotion exams for the rank of lieutenant, captain and higher management and executive posiitons. Visit us for the posted 380+ question exam for Police Leadership and Administration: A 21st-Century Strategic Approach.


Leadership and Management in Police Organizations - Giblin 1E
From Me: Excellent new title with an emphasis on applying classic studies of leadership and police management to the new organizational problems law enforcement faces today. From the publisher; Built on a foundation of nearly 1,200 references,  Leadership and Management in Police Organizations is a highly readable text that shows how organizational theory and behavior can be applied to improve the operations, leadership, and management of law enforcement. Author Matthew J. Giblin emphasizes leadership and management as separate skills in successful police supervisors and executives, illustrating to students how the two skills combine to improve individual and organizational efficacy in policing. Readers will come away with a stronger understanding of why organizational decisions  matter and the impact research can have on police departments. Visit us for the Leadership and Management in Police Organizations - Giblin 1E exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.


Reducing Crime - a Companion for Police Leaders - 1st Edition by Jerry Ratcliffe. This is a very detailed and well researched but easy to read treatment of modern crime control strategies surrounding the concept of Intelligence-led and evidence-based policing. Great choice for Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and upper-management promotion exams. Visit us for the Reducing Crime - A Companion for Police Leaders 1st Edition exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.


Leadership, Ethics, and Policing: Challenges for the 21st Century - Patrick J. Ortmeier and Edwin Meese III. From me; A classic often-cited and used textbook in law enforcement promotion. From the publisher; From street cop to chief, this guide develops a wide-range of ethical leadership skills applicable to all police ranks. Moving beyond incident-driven techniques, the book embraces problem-oriented, intelligence-led policing and integrates both ethics and leadership concepts. This edition includes two new chapters to address today’s environment–one on Homeland Security and one on strategic policing. New case studies, examples and applications appear throughout the text and help officers develop essential ethical leadership competencies. For courses in Police Leadership, Administration, Management, Ethics and Supervision. Visit us for the Leadership, Ethics, and Policing exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.

Police Leadership - Organizational and Managerial Decision Making Process - Maria R. Haberfeld, Ph.D. From me; An excellent work that is under-rated and under-utilized. From the publisher; Police organizations are much more accountable to their publics than ever before. Police Leadership: Organizational and Managerial Decision Making Process examines why and how decisions are made and what can be done to direct current and future law enforcement leaders to rethink and adjust their decision making processes to keep up with the demands of our constantly changing society. The text discusses how police organizations function and respond based on the type of leadership and driving policies present in police organizations, and provides ideas about the best ways of dealing with the challenges and organizational problems that police agencies face every day. Visit us for the Police Leadership exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.


Rising Through The Ranks - Leadership Tools and Techniques for Law Enforcement. From the Author and Publisher: Effective leadership is a journey, not a destination. Rising through the Ranks will be the starting point in that journey for thousands of men and women in law enforcement. Telling real stories of leadership and courage from police departments and investigative agencies, former DEA Leadership Fellow and Pittsfield, Massachusetts Police Chief Mike Wynn is the perfect author. As the only book of its kind, Rising through the Ranks will prepare effective leaders from local police officers to federal agents. From me: This is a short but very descriptive and hard-hitting book on leadership and courage in the face of adversity. Very good choice for promotion "through the ranks" from corporal through captain. Rising Through the Ranks promotion exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - Maxwell 2022 - 25th Anniversary Edition. 340+ questions.  One of new the top choices for Lieutenant, Captain and upper management promotional exams. Enroll now - Order the textbook.




Managing and Leading Today's Police: Challenges, Best Practices, and Case Studies provides a comprehensive insider’s view into the challenging work of police leaders at all levels of management. Using a problem-based learning approach, the authors draw on their extensive practical experience to critique the organizational, personnel, and operational issues facing police agencies and to assert “what works” in contemporary police management. The 4th edition is a major revision, moving from a supervision to a management perspective. It covers new policing strategies, methods, and technologies transforming the field and demanding new knowledge of police supervisors, managers, and leaders. Managing and Leading Today's Police: Challenges, Best Practices, Case Studies  - Peak 4E exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards..

Police Administration - A Leadership Approach - Ortmeier, Davis. From me; A comprehensive work on management, with some focus on leadership. Definitely worth your reading time, especially for captain and higher ranks. From the publisher; Police Administration: A Leadership Approach was written to support the need for a text that addresses supervision and management as well as ethics, leadership, and the principles of policing that form the foundation for efficient, effective, and lawful administration of the modern police service. Unlike other texts, this book blends theory with practice. It presents a foundation for the administration and management of a police agency in a logical, flexible, and understandable step-by step process. Visit us for the Police Administration - A Leadership Approach exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.


Paradoxes of Leadership in Police Management - Douglas Perez and Michael Barkhurst. From me; This book is a little out of the mainstream of police leadership titles, but that's what makes it so interesting. The book is centered on the concept that every leadership action or decision will likely have negative unintended consequences, and each decision does in fact create often hidden "paradoxes." This book helps spot and act on those paradoxes. I found it a very good read and worthy of police promotion exams.
From the publisher; This book helps current police leaders, and would-be leaders, as they strive to effectively direct a group of unique and powerful individuals: police officers. The work day of a police officer is replete with paradox, making the job of leading police difficult and potentially frustrating. This book provides real life examples based on a theoretical framework. This book discusses the police officer's experience including the multiple, conflicting, and sometimes vague nature of police functions and goals; the creation of mission statements; organizational structures; teaching communication skills to young officers; coaching and mentoring police officers; and the complicated job of assessing the job done by law enforcement. The book also deals with the development of police ethics, comparative accountability mechanisms, and alternative modes of discipline, expanding these discussions into a three-tiered view of police leadership (the roles of sergeant, middle manager, and chief). Visit us for the Paradoxes of Leadership in Police Management exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.

Promotional Exams for all these great police leadership textbooks can be taken by you to use as study material within the Advanced Police Promotional Testing Course at PoliceCareer.com.

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