The CopDoc Podcast: Aiming for Excellence in Leadership

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1. Leading Small Police Departments: Brian Griffin and Ryan Newell - Lessons in Leadership, Listening, and Officer Wellness

   27 oktober 2026 · 52 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 11 - Episode 180 Lees meer

   Navigating Leadership in Small Town Policing

   Insights from Chiefs Ryan Newell and Brian Griffin on their journeys and challenges.

   Chiefs Ryan Newell and Brian Griffin have both dedicated their careers to serving their communities in Southboro and Northboro, Massachusetts. In this episode, they share their unique journeys into policing, the challenges of leading small departments, and the importance of community engagement.

   The Journey to Leadership

   Ryan Newell reflects on his start in law enforcement, which began with summer jobs in Nantucket. "I started as a summer special on Nantucket Island... I had arrest powers with no gun," he recalls. His background in criminal justice and psychology shaped his approach to policing, emphasizing empathy and understanding in decision-making.

   Brian Griffin, on the other hand, grew up in Northboro, surrounded by family members who inspired him to pursue a career in law enforcement. He shares, "I had a brother-in-law who was a role model... he always had some great stories." His path led him from a sales job to working in education, before finally realizing his calling in policing.

   Insights on Leadership

   Both chiefs emphasize the importance of understanding the financial aspects of their roles. Ryan notes, "The impact of the decisions you make as chief can have a real effect on the people that you supervise." He advises future chiefs to familiarize themselves with town meetings and budget discussions to better advocate for their departments.

   Brian adds, "I knew nothing about working with the town hall staff... I think that's something that officers don’t learn in the academy." This insight highlights the need for ongoing education in leadership roles, particularly in managing resources effectively.

   Building Community Relationships

   The chiefs also discuss the significance of community relationships. Brian mentions, "We’re not the busiest department, but we’re not the slowest …

2. Brandon Gurley, Brookhaven Police, GA

   23 september 2026 · 52 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 11 - Episode 179 Lees meer

   Leadership Culture Under Pressure with Chief Brandon Gurley

   Dr. Steve Morreale talks with Chief Brandon Gurley of Brookhaven Police Department about the career path that shaped his leadership, from dispatcher and detention officer to chief of a fast-growing agency near Atlanta. The conversation centers on how early frontline experience, intentional culture-building, and curiosity-driven leadership can improve policing outcomes.Gurley also shares how Brookhaven Police Department was built from the ground up, how he approaches command staff meetings, and why he believes policing often promotes technical experts instead of true people leaders.

   Key topics

   In this episode, Chief Brandon Gurley shares how starting as a 911 call taker and detention officer gave him an early understanding of stress, communication, and de-escalation.

   He explains his move from Paulding County Sheriff’s Office to Sandy Springs, then into the startup of Brookhaven Police Department when the city incorporated in 2012.

   Gurley describes the challenge of helping build a brand-new agency, including hiring 54 sworn officers from 26 different metro-area agencies.

   He discusses why public information work, recruiting, and background investigations became important parts of his development as a future chief.

   He draws a clear distinction between police administration and police leadership, arguing that leadership requires vision, accountability, and the willingness to do the work alongside others.

   Gurley says technical competence alone is not enough for promotion, and that many leadership failures happen when agencies elevate the best performer instead of the best people leader.

   He explains how Brookhaven uses committees, strategic planning, and weekly command staff meetings to turn ideas into actionable outcomes.

   He talks about leading through questions, staying curious, and helping others solve their own problems instead of constantly fixing them …

3. Culture Starts With Listening - Chief Doreen Jokerst, Ed.D., Overland Park Police KS

   8 september 2026 · 55 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 11 - Episode 178 Lees meer

   Dr. Doreen Jokerst on culture, leadership, and modern policing in Overland Park

   Dr. Doreen Jokerst, chief of police in Overland Park, Kansas, joins Steve Morreale for a conversation about leadership, culture, technology, and what it means to build trust inside a police organization and with the community. She shares how her path through city policing, university policing, and doctoral study shaped a leadership style rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and accountability.We discuss how she uses listening sessions, transparent communication, and thoughtful technology governance to strengthen legitimacy, support officers, and improve service. This episode is especially relevant for leaders thinking about culture change, talent development, and the future of policing.

   Key topics

   Dr. Doreen Jokerst shares how Overland Park Police Department serves a city of about 207,000 residents, with 270 authorized police officers and 85 professional staff

   She traces her path into policing back to age 8, when a visit to Alcatraz helped spark a lifelong interest in helping people

   She explains the value of university policing at CU Boulder, where she learned to work across different perspectives and saw public safety through a broader lens

   She describes culture as something you can feel, comparing it to a sailboat in the wind and emphasizing that leaders must listen before trying to change anything

   She says insatiable curiosity breeds innovation, and that asking why systems exist is essential to understanding an organization without disrupting what already works

   She details her listening-session approach, including writing down names, tracking themes, following up personally, and making sure people see action after they speak

   She emphasizes explaining the why, whether in organizational decisions or even traffic stops, because legitimacy grows when people understand the reason behind an action

   She discusses thoughtful technology ad…

4. Rank Gives You Authority. It Doesn't Make You a Leader, Chris Hsiung, Executive Director - The Curve

   27 augustus 2026 · 56 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 11 - Episode 177 Lees meer

   GUEST: Chris Hsiung, Undersheriff, San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, and Executive Director, The Curve

   EPISODE SUMMARY:

   Rank does not make a leader. That is the premise Chris Hsiung and I worked through in this conversation, and it shapes everything else we talked about.

   Chris has spent more than 30 years in policing, most of it with the Mountain View Police Department, where he rose from patrol officer to chief. He now serves as Undersheriff with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office and leads The Curve, a nonprofit he co-founded with Simon Sinek to help police leaders build cultures grounded in trust and purpose. We talked about what it actually takes to change a department's culture, and why that work starts with what leaders do, not what they say.

   Chris put it simply: culture equals values plus behavior. A lot of agencies have values painted on the wall and printed on the cruiser. Few agencies have leaders whose daily behavior matches those words. We got into what happens when that gap goes unaddressed, why leaders need people who will tell them the truth instead of what they want to hear, and how Chris learned to lead by taking off the stars and getting into the jail, onto the ride-along, into the training room, alongside the people he was asking to trust him.

   This one is for chiefs, sheriffs, sergeants, and anyone tired of waiting for a promotion before they start leading.

   KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

   Why rank grants authority but not leadership, and the difference between the two

   Culture by design versus culture by default, and what happens when leaders leave culture to chance

   How to build change from the middle of an organization by working with early adopters instead of trying to convince everyone at once

   Why "everything is green" reporting should worry a leader more than it comforts one

   What it means to get out of the office: riding along, training with your people, learning the job from the ground up

   Ho…

5. Terry Dwyer, J.D. Professor - Western CT State University, NYSP (Retired)

   21 juli 2026 · 53 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 176 Lees meer

   Guest: Terry Dwyer, J.D. – Professor, Author, & Playwright

   In this episode, Dr. Steve Morreale sits down with Terry Dwyer, J.D., a professor at Western Connecticut State University and a retired New York State Police investigator. Terry shares insights from his diverse career stretching across the Navy Reserves, corrections, the court system, state policing, legal practice, and creative writing. They dive deep into the differences between leadership and management, police culture, systemic issues facing women in law enforcement, and the trauma that impacts officers and their families.

   Key Takeaways

   The Foundations of Corrections: Terry strongly believes every police officer should spend time working in corrections first. It builds crucial, real-world communication and de-escalation skills by forcing you to manage difficult situations entirely with your words.

   Leadership vs. Micromanagement: A disturbing shift in modern policing culture is the rise of the "liability-first" mindset. Exceptional supervisors lead by establishing trust and giving their professionals autonomy, whereas poor managers default to punitive micromanagement and "dog-piling" charges onto struggling officers.

   Secondary Trauma & The Family Unit: Law enforcement trauma isn't just about active gunfights; it is cumulative. Terry emphasizes that the true partner riding through the career's highs and deep lows with an officer is their spouse, highlighting his 42-year marriage to his wife, Joan.

   Culture and the 30x30 Initiative: Discussing his background representing female officers in harassment suits, Terry notes that police culture can be intensely insulated. He underscores the importance of the 30x30 Initiative (aiming for 30% women in policing by 2030) and notes that a department's culture is purely dictated by its top leadership.

   Featured Works by Terry Dwyer

   Book: The Badge Between Us: Duty, Marriage, and Family – Part memoir, part true crime,…

6. Dr. Robin Engel, Ohio State University

   7 juli 2026 · 59 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 175 Lees meer

   Unlock the secret to transforming police leadership from the front lines. Dr. Robin Engel shares how dedicated research and real-world experience are reshaping police training and community trust—yet the journey is anything but easy.

   In this powerful conversation, Robin reveals how her personal history fuels her relentless drive to improve policing—highlighting pivotal moments like her role in Cincinnati’s reform after a tragic officer-involved shooting. You’ll discover her innovative approach to data-driven policing, the critical importance of first-line supervisors, and why understanding and empowering the backbone of police organizations can prevent crises before they happen.

   We break down:
   How accreditation standards and evidence-based practices guide meaningful reform

   The role of a national consortium, CAPS, in strengthening frontline supervision across diverse agencies

   Why a police officer’s most vital asset is the support from their superior, and how training gaps undermine safety and morale

   The surprising insights from body cam analysis, AI, and administrative data that actually improve decision-making in the field

   Robin’s leadership lessons on uniting community, academia, and police during moments of crisis

   There’s a stark warning here: neglecting frontline supervisors and evidence-based strategies leaves departments vulnerable to the chaos of the next crisis. Conversely, building a culture of continuous learning and local leadership means resilient, safer communities. Robin’s heartfelt story of overcoming skepticism and her unwavering commitment to impactful reform is an essential listen for anyone determined to make policing better.

   Perfect for police officers, administrators, researchers, and community advocates eager to innovate and bridge the divide between theory and practice. Robin Engel, a renowned professor at Ohio State University and a leader in policing reform, exemplifies the power of knowl…

7. Ryan Johansen, Apex, NC Police

   24 juni 2026 · 58 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 174 Lees meer

   Guest: Chief Ryan Johansen, Apex Police Department, Apex, North Carolina

   Most police chiefs walk into a new department and tell people their vision. Ryan Johansen asked questions and took notes for 90 minutes with every single one of his 200 employees. One-on-one. No agenda. Just listening.

   EPISODE DESCRIPTION

   Chief Ryan Johansen of the Apex Police Department sits down with Dr. Steve Morreale for a wide-ranging conversation on what it takes to rebuild a police department's culture, restore officer confidence, and lead with both conviction and humility.

   Ryan came to Apex, North Carolina about 15 months ago after five years as chief at the San Bruno Police Department in California, just south of San Francisco. He made the move with his wife and family, driven by a desire for a different environment and a chance to do something meaningful. What he found was an agency with purpose-driven officers who had pulled back on proactive policing, and a community watching crime numbers rise as a result.

   He walked in with a clear belief: most of what ails policing starts inside the organization. If officers are treated as numbers, managed through policy, and punished more than developed, it shows in how they treat the public. Johansen flipped the model. He spent 90 minutes one-on-one with every one of his 200 employees, asking questions, listening, and taking notes. He made clear that the org chart runs the other way: everyone in the building, including him, exists to support the officers answering calls.

   The conversation covers a lot of ground. Ryan talks about his early days at the San Diego Police Department and what he learned by leaving a 3,000-officer agency for a 50-officer department in San Bruno. He talks about taking the chief's job in San Bruno just two days before Covid lockdowns, and then navigating George Floyd and the calls for reform that followed. He describes walking into the Apex roll call room, tattoos and a…

8. Leading Through Disruption: Christian Quinn on AI and Police Leadership

   9 juni 2026 · 58 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 173 Lees meer

   In this episode of The CopDoc Podcast, Dr. Steve Morreale sits down with Christian Quinn, retired Fairfax County Police executive and founder of Fulcrum Innovations.

   Christian traces his path from Massachusetts summer police officer to one of the technology leaders in one of the nation's largest county police departments. The conversation then dives into the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence in policing.

   Steve and Christian explore:

   How AI is already affecting police operations and investigations.

   Why agencies need governance, policy, and training before deploying AI tools.

   The risks of deepfakes, synthetic media, and digital evidence manipulation.

   How leaders can use AI responsibly to improve efficiency without surrendering critical thinking.

   What police executives should be doing right now to prepare their organizations for the future.

   Key takeaway

   This is a candid discussion about the opportunities, blind spots, and ethical challenges that come with AI in public safety. If you lead people, manage policy, or are trying to understand what AI means for policing, this episode offers practical insights from someone who has been on both the operational and technology sides of the profession.

   Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!

   Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com

   Website: www.copdocpodcast.com

   If you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

9. Chief Tom Wetzel - University Circle, OH Police

   26 mei 2026 · 58 min

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   The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 172 Lees meer

   EPISODE SUMMARY

   What happens when a police chief walks into his first department meeting and tells the staff, "I'm here to serve you — not the other way around"? For Chief Tom Wetzel of the University Circle Police Department in Cleveland, Ohio, that statement was not a slogan. It was a commitment he has carried through three decades of policing, from dispatcher to lieutenant to chief.

   In this conversation, Tom shares a leadership philosophy built on servant leadership, dignity, and what he calls the "sweet spot" between accountability and motivation. He is direct about what he has seen: too many police departments creating more stress for their officers inside the building than on the streets. The politics, the gossip, the nitpicking, the heavy-handed discipline — it follows officers home, sits with them at the dinner table, and follows them to bed. He believes that is not just a morale problem. It is a leadership problem, and it is fixable.

   Tom also discusses his book, A Cop and a Coffee Cup, a short, practical blueprint for police supervisors and leaders. The concept is simple: imagine a wise, seasoned officer sitting across the table from a young leader, with one cup of coffee and one shot to pass on what matters most. That is the book. It covers how to develop inspired and accountable officers, how to handle discipline with grace and discretion, and why the word "clemency" belongs in every chief's vocabulary. If you lead people in blue — or aspire to — this episode will give you a great deal to think about.

   Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!

   Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com

   Website: www.copdocpodcast.com

   If you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

10. Dr. Heather Glogolich, Captain, NJ Instititue of Technology Police

    29 april 2026 · 48 min

    Afspelen
    The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 171 Lees meer

    EPISODE SUMMARY:

    Steve Morreale sits down with Captain Dr. Heather Glogolich of the NJIT Police Department in Newark, New Jersey, for a candid, deeply personal, and professionally rich conversation about what it means to lead in policing today. Heather brings more than 22 years of law enforcement experience, an EdD focusing on domestic violence and higher education, and a hard-won perspective on what it takes not just to survive in a male-dominated profession, but to thrive in it and bring others along.

    Heather speaks openly about her journey from the Morris County Sheriff's Office to patrol officer, lieutenant, and now captain, including having to sue her agency to secure a promotion she had earned. Rather than letting that experience define her bitterness, she channeled it into a commitment to mentorship and transformational leadership. Her story is one of accountability, growth, and choosing to lead with love, even when the institution made that difficult.

    The conversation ranges widely, from the real reasons women remain underrepresented in law enforcement leadership to the operational risks of empathy, to why she believes the first day on the job should include leadership training. Heather challenges comfortable assumptions, pushes back thoughtfully on conventional DEI narratives, and delivers a message that will resonate with anyone trying to grow as a leader, regardless of rank, gender, or years on the job.

    KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

    How Heather's path from the Morris County Sheriff's Office to NJIT shaped her leadership philosophy

    Women in policing leadership, the 30x30 initiative, and the real reasons representation remains low

    Balancing being a great cop and a great parent without sacrificing either

    Her personal experience as a survivor of domestic violence and how that shaped her doctoral research

    The difference between sympathy and empathy, and why empathetic policing carries operational risk

    Suing her a…

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