# The unfortunate relationship between fear and trust (and it isn't what you think)



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Surviving the Streets*
with Lt. Jim Glennon

Last month I wrote a column called Put ego aside, forget your career, and be a leader. In it I recounted the story of a sergeant and his lieutenant, who by all accounts was a toxic supervisor. I received dozens of e-mails from officers lamenting that they, too, were saddled with dysfunctional leadership. Not exactly a surprise since complaining and commiserating are among the things we cops do best. In addition to the e-mails, the comments that accumulated beneath the column included similar stories of woe. However, I recently received an email that particularly struck me. The young officer who wrote it did so after only the first day of the Street Survival Seminar.

I asked his permission to use it here and he agreed, but I had to, for what you will see to be obvious reasons, omit his name and the names of his departments. I chose to share this letter for a number of reasons:

• First and foremost, this young officer is very articulate

• He shared a very positive story about strong leadership in his first agency

• He contrasts that positive account with a description the toxicity in his current organization

• I believe it is a tale that will resonate with most who have spent any amount of time in law enforcement

Note at the end of the email he indicates that he was apprehensive about approaching me. His immediate supervisor was in attendance and this young officer didn't want to be seen having a discussion with an outside trainer. I think this is both interesting and telling - if he is literally afraid to be seen talking with an officer outside of his agency, that's a sure sign that the atmosphere pervasive in his department at present is one of fear and mistrust.

A quick note: Aside from where we have *REDACTED* names, this is the exact text of his letter - we have changed nothing, and the style and grammar are left completely in tact as originally written. And now, the letter&#8230;

Full Article: The unfortunate relationship between fear and trust (and it isn't what you think)


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## SPO123 (Dec 31, 2005)

Thought provoking. I encountered similar situation years ago. Held my head up, stayed positive, and kept at the Chief to make it happen .... 6 years later, things got good, maybe because of all new blood .... but it can happen.


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