Insist upon rookie excellence

Agency leadership needs to trust the judgment of training personnel and deal with small problems before they become big ones

May 07, 2024 08:26 PM •

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In this video, Gordon Graham, Lexipol co-founder and risk management expert, addresses the challenges of hiring and training in law enforcement.

He outlines the rigorous process, noting that from application to final approval, it can take up to two years, with significant physical, emotional, and financial investment from both the applicant and the department.

Despite generally successful outcomes, Graham warns against the temptation to lower standards due to staffing needs or recruitment difficulties. He stresses the importance of maintaining high standards and dealing with potential issues early, as identified by academy staff and field training officers. Trusting their judgment and addressing small problems before they escalate is crucial.

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This article, originally posted on February 7, 2023, has been updated.

Gordon Graham

Gordon Graham has been actively involved in law enforcement since 1973. He spent nearly 10 years as a very active motorcycle officer while also attending Cal State Long Beach to achieve his teaching credential, USC to do his graduate work in Safety and Systems Management with an emphasis on Risk Management, and Western State University to obtain his law degree. In 1982 he was promoted to sergeant and also admitted to the California State Bar and immediately opened his law offices in Los Angeles.