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Characteristics Of A Police Officer

Decent Essays

Being employed as a police officer brings a consistent standard of morals and a high degree of integrity within one self, whilst promoting these same characteristics of other police officers, the New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF)and the general public. These traits are essential for a police officer’s ability to lead people, this is known as Ethical leadership. Burns (1978) highlights that a leader’s personality will provide the basis of leadership. Police Officers require an ethical morale while exhibiting preferred behaviours whilst on or off duty. These are necessary to enforce the organisations policy, State legislation and the officers own Oath of Office (Chandler, 2009). A leader’s behaviour is clear to all with deliberate decisions focusing on an ethical and law-abiding tendency, and not one that can be mistaken for personal gain.

This essay will discuss a number of leadership traits and characteristics that I believe are important in becoming a first line leader. I will discuss practical leadership strategies that may assist in a probationary constable making the transition to being fully sworn officer working as senior with a partner. I will also discuss my own leadership strengths and weakness including a self-assessment and suggested development approaches for improvement.

For a probationary constable to become senior on the truck and effectively apply leadership to another, they need to reflect on what type of leadership behaviours and characteristics they

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