The CopDoc Podcast: Aiming for Excellence in Leadership
Visit our website: https://www.copdocpodcast.com The CopDoc Podcast delves into police leadership and innovation. The focus is on aiming for excellence in the delivery of police services across the globe. Dr. Steve Morreale is a retired law enforcement practitioner, a pracademic, turned academic, and scholar from Worcester State University. Steve is the Program Director for LIFTE, Command College - The Leadership Institute for Tomorrow's Executives at Liberty University. Steve shares ideas and talks with thought leaders in policing, academia, community leaders, and other related government agencies. You'll find Interviews with thought leaders drive the discussion to improve police serv...
Brandon Gurley, Brookhaven Police, GA
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 11 - Episode 177
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...
Culture Starts With Listening - Chief Doreen Jokerst, Ed.D., Overland Park Police KS
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 11 - Episode 176
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...
Rank Gives You Authority. It Doesn't Make You a Leader, Chris Hsiung, Executive Director - The Curve
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 175Â
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 S...
Terry Dwyer, J.D. Professor - Western CT State University, NYSP (Retired)
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 174
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 an...
Dr. Robin Engel, Ohio State University
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 174
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 understa...
Ryan Johansen, Apex, NC Police
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 -Â Episode 173
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, a...
Leading Through Disruption: Christian Quinn on AI and Police Leadership
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 171
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...Chief Tom Wetzel - University Circle, OH Police
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 10 - Episode 170
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 th...
Dr. Heather Glogolich, Captain, NJ Instititue of Technology Police
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 169
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...
From Dirt Road to Doctorate: Leadership Lessons from Chief Lance Arnold, Broken Arrow Police, OK
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 168
What does it take to go from a dirt road in Northeast Texas to leading one of the most progressive police departments in the country?
In this episode of The CopDoc Podcast, Dr. Steve Morreale sits down with Dr. Lance Arnold, Chief of Police in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Lance calls his journey "dirt road to doctorate," and that phrase captures something essential about who he is: a leader who never lost sight of where he came from, even as his thinking about leadership grew...
"Standing in the Gap: Gina Hawkins on Culture, Women in Policing, and What Standards Really Mean"
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 167
What does it take to walk into four different agencies, each with its own culture and expectations, and lead effectively in all of them? Gina Hawkins has done exactly that — from the Atlanta Police Department where she came of age as a young officer, to Sandy Springs, Clayton County, Fayetteville, North Carolina, and now Cobb County's Sheriff's Office. Along the way she has learned that culture doesn't start inside the building. It starts with the community that either demands excellence or tolerates mediocrity.
In this conversation, Gi...
Cyndee Woolley - C2 Communications
Season 9 - Episode 166 - The CopDoc Podcast
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.comÂ
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
Chief Jeremy Story: Building Leaders, Telling Stories, and Changing Policing in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Season 9 - Episode 166 - The CopDoc Podcast
What does it take to lead a police department through tragedy, transformation, and tremendous change? Chief Jeremy Story of the Las Cruces Police Department in New Mexico knows firsthand.
A Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, Jeremy joined policing in 2007 after choosing family over a military career. He rose through the ranks touching nearly every division—SWAT commander, K-9 handler, gang unit sergeant, training director, and deputy chief—before becoming chief at a younger age than he expected.
In this powerful conversation, Chief Stor...
Chief Kathy Lester, Sacramento Police
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 165
There's a consistent problem in American law enforcement that rarely makes headlines but shapes everything: what we do with people when they get promoted to lieutenant. Traditionally, they get a rank, a schedule, sometimes a handshake, and they're told to run the night shift. Nobody teaches them they've fundamentally changed jobs. They still think like a sergeant, which makes sense. They were excellent sergeants. So they become, as researcher Steve Morreale puts it, "a super-sergeant, not a lieutenant."
Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester identifies this gap...
Joanne Sweeney on AI - Host of AI6 Podcast
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 164
AI Advocate: Joanne Sweeney on Leadership in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
This week on The CopDoc Podcast, we're back with Joanne Sweeney from Galway, Ireland, reconnecting for our second conversation about one of the most transformative forces in modern organizations: artificial intelligence. She is the host of AI6 Podcast. About AI in six minutes.
What started as curiosity three years ago when Sam Altman introduced ChatGPT has evolved into a mission to help government and public sector leaders understand that A...
Dallas Police - Daniel Comeaux -Empower, Inspire, Motivate: A Chief’s Blueprint For Modern Policing
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 163
What happens when a former DEA executive takes the helm of a major city police department with a promise to be the most proactive force in America? We invited Dallas Police Chief Danny Comeaux to walk us through his playbook—why leadership starts with empower, inspire, motivate, how quick wins build trust, and why showing up unannounced at stations can change a culture faster than any memo. From the first 90 days of look, listen, and learn to a clear target of 4,000 sworn officers, his approach blends federal-scale thinking wi...
Jim Burch -From DOJ Halls to NPI: Building Evidence-Based, Human-Centered Policing
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 162
Policing changes fastest when leaders listen first and translate ideas into real work. That’s the throughline in our conversation with Jim Burch, president of the National Policing Institute, who shares a candid view of how a small team amplifies big impact: distilling research into actionable guidance, helping agencies adapt—not copy—what works elsewhere, and building partnerships that move from concept to implementation. Jim draws on decades across DOJ and ATF, and he’s blunt about what unlocks progress: focused mission, field-driven priorities, and a healthy respect for regi...
Why Police Leaders Must Borrow and Share Good Ideas-Jason Sieczkowski, Asst. Chief Chandler, AZ Police
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 161
In an interesting conversation from Chandler, Arizona, Assistant Chief Jason Sieczkowski reveals the innovative leadership approaches transforming his department into what he calls "the Silicon Valley of the desert." As an IACP 40 Under 40 honoree who's spent his entire 19-year career with Chandler PD, Jason shares the philosophy that's helped him rise to overseeing all field operations: continuous improvement.
The discussion dives deep into how modern police departments can measure success beyond traditional enforcement statistics. Chandler's implementation of a real-time community feedback system (their version of "Yelp...
From Fine Arts to Tucson Police Chief: Chad Kasmar's Journey
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 160
What happens when you combine a fine arts degree with police leadership? Chief Chad Kasmar of the Tucson Police Department demonstrates how creative thinking transforms modern policing challenges into opportunities for innovation.
Kasmer's journey from beach bum to nationally recognized police leader reveals the unexpected value of diverse perspectives in law enforcement. With refreshing candor, he shares how his background in painting and sculpture equipped him with problem-solving skills that have proven invaluable in reimagining police services. Rather than merely modifying existing systems, Kasmar approaches challenges...
Dr. David Weisburd - Police Need Cookbooks, Not Just Theory - George Mason University
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 160
What if police departments made decisions based on solid evidence rather than gut feelings? Dr. David Weisburd, a dual faculty member at George Mason University and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has spent decades proving that scientific approaches can revolutionize policing.
From his unexpected start evaluating one of America's first community policing programs in 1984, Weisburd discovered something remarkable: crime isn't random. His groundbreaking "law of crime concentration" demonstrates that approximately 5% of streets produce about 50% of crime in cities worldwide. This discovery challenged conventional wisdom and launched the...
Bruce O'Brien - From New Zealand to London: Policing Without Borders
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 159
When criminal networks operate across continents, police must work beyond borders. In this compelling conversation with Assistant Commissioner Bruce O'Brien, we explore the critical world of international police collaboration from the perspective of someone building these vital connections daily.
As New Zealand Police's Senior Liaison Officer in London, O'Brien bridges law enforcement across four regions: the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. He reveals how these partnerships function in practice – from facilitating evidence gathering in transnational cases to sharing intelligence about emerging threats. "Criminal networks are ve...
From Italy to US: Police Commander's Journey - Diego Zannella - Lake Forest Park, WA Police
The CopDoc Podcast- Season 8 - Episode 158Â
Ever wonder what American policing looks like through the eyes of someone trained in European military special forces? Commander Diego Zanella offers that rare perspective, having journeyed from Italian paratrooper to American police commander. His story isn't just about cultural transitions—it reveals universal leadership truths that transcend borders.
Born and raised in Florence, Zanella moved to Seattle at age 31 with minimal English skills but a wealth of tactical experience. After 9/11, he felt compelled to serve his adopted country, joining law enforcement rather than returning to military ser...
Erik Smith - Colonel, Kansas Highway Patrol - Be Hard on Problems, Soft on People
Season 8 - The CopDoc Podcast - Episode 157
Colonel Eric Smith's journey from Boeing sheet metal mechanic to leading the Kansas Highway Patrol reveals what transformative police leadership looks like in action. After a chance encounter with a sergeant led him to volunteer as a dispatcher, Smith found his calling in law enforcement, spending nine years with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office before joining DEA for 21 years, eventually rising to high-ranking leadership positions.
When Smith took command of a divided Kansas Highway Patrol in 2023, he immediately embarked on statewide listening tours, but with a...
From Boston to LA: Jim McDonnell - One Chief's Journey Through Three Departments
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 156Â
Chief Jim McDonald's journey in law enforcement reads like a masterclass in adaptive leadership. From his bold decision to leave Boston for Los Angeles with just $400 and two suitcases to his current role leading one of America's largest police departments, McDonald exemplifies how stepping beyond comfort zones catalyzes professional growth.
The conversation reveals McDonald's approach to leadership transitions across three major departments – LAPD, Long Beach PD, and LA Sheriff's Department – before returning to lead LAPD. Rather than imposing previous methods, he entered each organization with respect for e...
Dr. Mike Marquardt: The Power of Questions: How Great Leaders Ask Instead of Tell
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 155Â
What if the most powerful leadership tool isn't having all the answers, but asking the right questions? Dr. Michael Marquardt, after studying leaders across 50 countries for over five decades, discovered a surprising pattern—the greatest leaders in every field share one fundamental skill: they ask exceptional questions.
In this thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Steve Morreale, Marquardt challenges traditional notions of leadership, particularly in policing where command-and-control approaches have dominated. Drawing from his extensive research and bestselling book "Leading with Questions," he explains how the simple act of...
Jonathan Ziders - Assistant Chief: Rising Through the Ranks Changes Everything You Thought You Knew
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 154Â
Leadership doesn't happen in a vacuum – especially in policing, where decisions impact both officers and communities. In this revealing conversation, Assistant Chief Jonathan Ziders takes us on his remarkable journey from reluctant recruit to departmental leader.
"I never wanted to be a cop," Ziders candidly shares at the start of our discussion. His original dream of becoming a firefighter gave way to a policing career that has seen him rise through every rank in the Lancaster, NY Police Department, culminating in his recent appointment as the age...
Chief John Fisher - The Art of Police Leadership: Coaching Through Crisis and Change
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 153
What happens when a basketball coach becomes a police chief? Chief John Fisher of the Bedford, Massachusetts, Police Department brings a refreshingly human perspective to law enforcement leadership, replacing command-and-control with connection and coaching.
Fisher's journey from U.S. Coast Guard service through the ranks of Nashua, NH Police Department to his current role reveals a leadership style fundamentally shaped by his parallel career coaching high school basketball for over 30 seasons. "Coaching happens in split seconds," he explains, "but you still have to fall back on...
Jason Potts - Police Leadership Through Evidence and Change - LV Department of Public Safety
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 151
In a great conversation on The CopDoc Podcast, Steve Morreale engages with Jason Potts, Director of the Department of Public Safety in Las Vegas, Nevada, exploring the intersection of modern police leadership and evidence-based approaches to public safety. Potts, who also serves as president of the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing, offers valuable insights that challenge traditional policing paradigms.
Potts' journey through law enforcement is as diverse as it is impressive. Beginning with the Coast Guard and Customs Border Patrol, he spent 22 years with the Vallejo...
Mike Abrashoff -Leadership Beyond Command: Transforming Teams Through Trust
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 152
What happens when a Naval Captain witnesses his crew cheering as his predecessor leaves? For Mike Abershoff, it sparked a leadership revolution that transformed USS Benfold from one of the worst ships in the Pacific Fleet to the best in the entire US Navy – all in just 15 months.
"The days of top-down command and control, my way or the highway leadership style, are over," Abershoff explains in this riveting conversation. Drawing from his bestselling book "It's Your Ship" (which has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide), he sh...
Jim Bueermann: Rethinking Police Work in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
The CopDoc Podcast - Episode 150
Artificial intelligence isn't just coming to policing—it's already here, transforming everything from report writing to emergency response. In this forward-looking conversation, Jim Bierman, former Chief of Redlands, California and current president of the Future Policing Institute, delivers a wake-up call for law enforcement leaders about AI's revolutionary impact.
"AI is going to be the most disruptive technology human beings have ever invented—the most disruptive phenomena since humans figured out how to harness fire," Bierman warns. The pace of AI development far outstrips our legislative ability to regu...
SAC Jim Ferguson - Teamwork, Technology, and Violent Crime: How ATF Keeps America Safer
The CopDoc Podcast - Episode 150
What does it take to lead one of America's premier federal law enforcement agencies? Jim Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Boston Field Division, takes listeners inside the world of federal firearms investigations, leadership challenges, and the evolution of crime-fighting technology in this compelling conversation.
Ferguson's unexpected journey began when an aptitude test suggested "federal agent" as his ideal career path after three unfulfilling years studying engineering. That pivotal moment led to a thirteen-year assignment in Chicago, where he cut his teeth investigating firearms trafficking patterns among...
From Chief Constable to Academic Visionary - Peter Neyroud - Cambridge University - Session 2
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 7 - Episode 148
This is the second of a two-part interview with Dr. Peter Neyroud
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What if modern policing could achieve a global impact through strategic leadership and trust? Join us on the Cop Talk Podcast as we welcome Dr. Peter Neyroud, a former chief constable turned esteemed academic at Cambridge University, to share his journey and insights. With Dr. Neyroud, we explore how evidence-based policing is transforming forces worldwide and the pivotal role leadership plays in this evolution. Discover how his innovative strategy of using smaller command posts a...
Dr. Tanya Meisenholder's Path to Reforming Police Culture
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 7- Episode 147
Dr. Tanya Meisenholder's journey from Baton Rouge to New York City's bustling streets offers a profound perspective on policing. Her experiences, ranging from a crime analyst role and working with ATF, have fueled her passion for reforming law enforcement. In our latest episode, uncover how her transition to the NYPD and current involvement in NYU's Policing Project has reshaped her views on gender representation within the field, particularly through the ambitious 30 by 30 initiative.
The initiative aims to elevate the percentage of female recruits in policing to 30...
Leadership and Reform: A Journey Through British Policing with Dr. Peter Neyroud
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 7 - Episode 146
Join us for an engaging conversation with Dr. Peter Neyroud, former Chief Constable and current professor at Cambridge University, as he recounts his fascinating journey from a history major at Oxford to a trailblazer in British policing. We discuss how a chance meeting led him into the police service in 1980 and explore his pivotal contributions, from pioneering community policing to implementing evidence-based practices. Dr. Neyroud's reflections on leadership, trust, and the challenges of organizational change provide invaluable insights for anyone interested in the dynamics of policing and reform.<...
From the Bronx to the Battlefield: Leadership Lessons with MG (ret) Dr. John Hussey - U.S. Army Military Police Corps
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 7 - Episode 145
Mentors count! Listen as we sit down with Dr. John Hussey, a retired Major General and author, who takes us on an incredible journey from a lively Bronx Irish neighborhood to a distinguished military career. Dr. Hussey shares how crucial mentorship was in steering him away from potential pitfalls during his mischievous youth and guiding him toward unexpected academic and professional success. This episode unveils personal stories of resilience and perseverance, shedding light on how constructive criticism and accountability can propel personal growth in both the military and...
Optimizing Police Operations: Expert Insights with Dr. Jim McCabe
Season 7 - The CopDoc Podcast - Episode 144
Dr. Jim McCabe, a seasoned expert in police management and assessment, takes us on an in-depth exploration of optimizing police operations. From his foundational experiences with the NYPD to his academic journey at St. John's University, Jim provides insights from years of applying data-driven strategies to enhance police performance. Learn how the 2008 economic downturn became a pivotal moment in Jim's career, leading to his role with the International City Managers Association and creating CERTUS Public Safety Solutions, a venture dedicated to fostering meaningful client relationships through operational enhancements.<...
Encore Episode: Dr. Shon Barnes, Chief - Seattle Police, former Madison, WI Police
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 7 - Episode 143
This episode originally aired in October 2022 (ep. 89) Shon has been the COP in Madison, WI since 2021. He was inducted into the Center for Evidence-based Policing Hall of Fame!Â
Prepare to be inspired by the journey of Chief Sean Barnes as he shares his unique path from serving in the US Marine Corps to leading the Madison, Wisconsin Police Department. Chief Barnes opens up about the transformative power of evidence-based policing and the SARA model, he first encountered in Greensboro, North Carolina.Â
His commitment to life...
Lester Baker, FPD -Strategies for Progressive Policing and Community Trust
Season 7 - The CopDoc Podcast - Episode 142
What does it take to lead a police department in a city as unique as Framingham, Massachusetts? Join us for an insightful conversation with Chief Lester Baker as he shares his journey from hoping to get to the NFL to Chief of Police. Discover how Framingham's distinct demographic, including a large Brazilian community and significant drug trafficking issues, shape the challenges faced by the department. Chief Baker reveals how innovative programs like jail-diversion and the co-response model integrate clinicians within the police force, enhancing community engagement and response.<...
Mike Kroll, HSI - Exploring Compassionate Leadership in Law Enforcement
The CopDoc Podcast - Season 7 - Episode 141Â
 Ever wondered how a business student becomes a leader in federal law enforcement? Join us as we uncover the career journey of Mike Krol, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston. From a family rich in law enforcement and military service history to navigating the rigorous transition from the private sector to federal law enforcement, Mike shares his compelling story. Listen to how his mother’s suggestion to pursue criminal justice at Northeastern University changed his life path, despite initial doubts, and discover the...
Chief Jason Armstrong's Vision for Modern Law Enforcement
The CopDoc Podcast Season 6 - Episode 140
Join us on a journey as we chat with Chief Jason Armstrong from the Apex Police Department in North Carolina, a leader who has been reshaping the face of law enforcement. Jason's path began after college with a financial reimbursement program from the Department of Justice's Police Corps program. This drew him away from dreams of the DEA or FBI toward a meaningful career in policing. He rose to Forest Park, Georgia, becoming the interim police chief. He applied and was appointed to the chief's position in Ferguson, Missouri. This...
