Trust Matters: Foundations for Strong Leadership
In law enforcement, trust is not just a leadership ideal—it is the cornerstone of effective policing. Building trust within your department, with your team, and in the communities you serve is absolutely essential. For officers and supervisors, trust can mean the difference between smooth operations and misunderstandings, between calming tense situations and escalating them, and gaining respect versus encountering resistance.
As you likely know from experience, trust is not built overnight. Fortunately, consistent and deliberate actions that demonstrate care, integrity, transparency, dependability, and expertise can significantly speed up the process. For police leaders, this means leading by example, holding yourself accountable to the same high standards you expect from others, and creating an environment where both colleagues and the public feel respected, valued, and—most importantly—heard.
This lesson focuses on five core attributes of trust: benevolence, honesty, openness, reliability, and competence. These attributes are vital not only for effective leadership but also for fostering public confidence and teamwork within your department. By prioritizing these traits in your approach, you will be more successful in building relationships that withstand the unique pressures and challenges of police work.
“While selfishness joins hands with no one of the virtues, benevolence is allied to them all.”
Self-Assessment:
Trust Matters - Foundations for Strong Leadership
Below, you will encounter a series of statements related to building Trust. This assessment will help you identify areas of strength and areas where you can continue to grow and develop throughout your leadership journey.
After completing the self-assessment, read over the self-reflection questions. Where can you identify opportunities for personal growth in your leadership approach?
For each statement, rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 5, where:
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Neutral
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree
Benevolence:
1. I show empathy and compassion when interacting with colleagues and the community.
2. I prioritize the well-being of my team and the individuals I serve.
3. I contribute to a positive and supportive work environment.
Honesty:
4. I communicate truthfully, even when admitting mistakes.
5. I maintain transparency in my actions and decision-making.
6. I hold myself accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Openness:
7. I encourage open communication and respect others' ideas.
8. I am willing to accept feedback and adjust my approach.
9. I value diverse perspectives when resolving issues or making decisions.
Reliability:
10. I consistently follow through on my commitments and responsibilities.
11. My colleagues know they can count on me in critical moments.
12. I meet deadlines and deliver results under pressure.
Competence:
13. I demonstrate the skills and knowledge needed to handle my duties effectively.
14. I remain calm and decisive in challenging or high-pressure situations.
15. I actively pursue training and development to improve my performance.
Scoring:
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Exceptional Trust Competency
You consistently demonstrate trustworthiness, setting an excellent example for your team and the community. Your actions and leadership inspire confidence, creating strong relationships and enhancing your effectiveness as a law enforcement professional.
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Strong Trust Competency
You have a solid foundation of trust-building skills, and your actions generally inspire confidence. Identifying and refining a few specific areas can help you reach an even higher level of effectiveness within your team and the community.
-
Moderate Trust Competency
You show clear strengths in some areas, but there are opportunities to improve in others. Focusing on these areas will help you strengthen relationships with colleagues and community members, enhancing trust and your overall effectiveness in your role.
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Limited Trust Competency
Your trust-building skills need focused attention to reach their full potential. By working on these areas, you can improve your effectiveness as a police department employee. Consider using resources like mentorship, coaching, or targeted training to make steady progress.
-
Very Limited Trust Competency
Developing trust-building skills is an important focus at this stage. Consider connecting with your ECFL Coach, seeking guidance from a mentor, or participating in additional training programs designed for law enforcement professionals. These steps can help you enhance your performance, strengthen your relationships with colleagues and the community, and build a strong foundation for success in your role.
Self-Reflection Questions:
Which areas of the self-assessment reflect your strongest contributions to building trust? How do these strengths benefit your department and community?
Where do you see the greatest potential for growth in your leadership approach?
What specific actions or habits can you adopt to strengthen trust in the areas of benevolence, honesty, openness, reliability, or competence?
How can you use feedback from your department or peers to enhance trust in your relationships?
In what ways can you create an environment that builds trust, promotes collaboration, and ensures accountability within your department?
This self-assessment is a starting point for evaluating your trust-building skills. Reflect on your responses, identify areas for growth, and seek feedback from your ECFL coach or a trusted mentor to strengthen your leadership on and off duty.
Benevolence
Benevolence is about showing genuine care and compassion for others. It means staying connected to the core purpose of law enforcement: serving and protecting with integrity and empathy. In the daily challenges of policing, it’s important to remember the driving force behind this profession—making a positive impact on people’s lives.
Leading with kindness and empathy, even in stressful situations, builds trust and earns respect from both your team and the community. Benevolence is reflected in actions such as:
Checking in on a colleague after a difficult shift.
Supporting a community member in distress.
Calming a victim in crisis or helping a struggling colleague.
Every interaction is an opportunity to show patience, understanding, and humanity, even in difficult circumstances. By leading with benevolence, you create an inclusive, supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
Honesty
Honesty is the cornerstone of integrity in law enforcement. It shapes how officers interact with their teams and the public, creating a culture where truthfulness and transparency are not just values but essential foundations for effective and resilient teams. Being honest means being straightforward and trustworthy, even in difficult situations.
Honesty is reflected in actions such as:
Admitting to a mistake in a report and taking steps to correct it.
Ensuring reports, testimonies, and interactions are accurate and uphold the highest ethical standards.
Communicating openly and truthfully, even when delivering difficult news or feedback.
By consistently demonstrating honesty, you set a powerful example of accountability, inspire trust, and reinforce a commitment to integrity across your team and the community.
Openness
Openness is about sharing information, listening to feedback, and embracing new ideas. It involves being approachable, transparent, and willing to listen, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. In law enforcement, openness helps bridge gaps, prevent misunderstandings, and strengthen teamwork. Officers who practice openness build trust and create a culture where communication flows freely.
Openness is demonstrated through actions such as:
Encouraging team members to voice concerns or suggestions during briefings without fear of judgment.
Being transparent, whether explaining operational decisions to the public or discussing department goals with colleagues.
Respecting diverse perspectives, recognizing that varied viewpoints can lead to better solutions and stronger relationships.
With openness comes collaboration, mutual respect, and understanding, all of which are critical to building trust and achieving effective policing.
Trust-Building Actions for Openness
Openness requires more than listening; it’s about demonstrating accountability and taking meaningful actions, proving that the trust placed in you is well-founded. By acting on feedback and ideas, you strengthen relationships and establish a culture of transparency and accountability within your department. Here’s how you can develop openness in ways that inspire trust:
Acknowledge Where You Stand
Be honest about where your department or team excels and where improvements are needed, especially in areas like diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Addressing gaps openly shows a commitment to growth and accountability.Actively Seek and Encourage Feedback
Create a safe environment where colleagues and community members feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. Reassure them that their input is valued and that it won’t lead to retaliation, even if it challenges current practices.Turn Feedback Into Action
Listening is only the first step. Openness requires acting on the feedback you receive. Acknowledge suggestions, address concerns, implement changes where possible, or explain why certain actions can’t be taken. This demonstrates respect for others’ voices and reinforces trust.Practice Active Listening
When someone shares their thoughts, focus on understanding their perspective rather than rushing to respond. Reflect on their input, ask clarifying questions, and show genuine interest in their concerns.Express Gratitude and Share Wins
Recognize the effort it takes for someone to provide honest feedback or contribute ideas. Show appreciation for their trust, and celebrate achievements—whether within the team or the community—to highlight the importance of working together effectively.
Reliability
Reliability is about consistently keeping your commitments, being dependable, and proving to your team and community that they can count on you. Trust is built through steady, dependable actions that you demonstrate every day. However, being unreliable can quickly break trust, leading to frustration among your team, lowering morale, and reducing the community’s confidence in your role.
Reliability is reflected in actions such as:
Showing up on time and prepared for assignments.
Meeting deadlines, completing assigned tasks, and delivering on your promises.
Being dependable in critical moments, whether it’s providing backup during an incident or finishing casework on time.
Maintaining a steady, calm presence that reassures your team and the public, even in high-pressure situations.
By practicing reliability, you become the steady anchor your team and community can depend on, cementing your reputation as someone they trust in even the toughest moments.
Competence
Competence is the ability to perform your duties effectively and with confidence. It reflects your preparedness, knowledge, and commitment to growth—all critical qualities for building trust within your department and community.
Competence is demonstrated through actions such as:
Making sound decisions under pressure by relying on training and experience.
Staying sharp through ongoing training and staying informed about the latest techniques, laws, and policies.
Adapting to challenges by using your skills to respond effectively to changing situations.
Sharing knowledge with colleagues by mentoring newer officers or contributing to team training sessions, building a stronger and more capable department.
Demonstrating competence shows your commitment to excellence, ensuring you are prepared to handle challenges effectively while contributing to the success of your team and community.
“Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude.”
Trust is built through consistent actions, but it can also be undermined by even small lapses in judgment. Each of the five attributes plays a role in establishing a foundation of trust, and neglecting any one of them can have serious consequences. The following story illustrates how reliability and integrity are critical to leadership, and how even minor decisions can impact trust and perceptions of character.
After reading the story, take a few moments to reflect on the questions that follow. Are you confident in the answers you’d give?
You Never Know Who’s Watching
Officer Pat was known as a key figure in the precinct’s Community Engagement Unit. He worked late, attended extra meetings, and was quick to point out his contributions. When Captain Kerri visited to recognize achievements and announce a new team lead, everyone assumed Pat would get the promotion.
During a casual conversation at the team luncheon, Pat mentioned he’d used leftover precinct funds from a recent event to buy himself a new backpack. “It’s for work, so it’s fine,” he said, assuming no one would think twice. However, using precinct funds for personal purchases violated department policy and could undermine public trust if discovered. Captain Kerri overheard and took note.
Later, at the luncheon, Captain Kerri announced that Officer Madeline, not Pat, would be the new team lead. Madeline’s steady reliability and integrity earned her the role, even though her accomplishments weren’t as flashy as Pat’s.
Confused and upset, Pat asked his supervisor why he wasn’t chosen. The supervisor explained that while Pat’s work was impressive, leadership required trust and integrity. Pat’s casual misuse of precinct funds showed poor judgment and a lack of respect for ethical standards. Even small actions, the supervisor explained, can have big consequences when it comes to trust.
Though disappointed, Pat left the conversation reflective. He realized that in law enforcement, integrity is non-negotiable, and even small missteps can have a lasting impact on how others view you.
What do you think?
In the story, Madeline demonstrated consistency and care for her team and community. Do I consistently show care for others in ways that build trust, or do I focus more on personal achievements?
Pat’s misuse of precinct funds, even for a small item, called his integrity into question. Have I ever made a decision, big or small, that might raise concerns about my honesty? How can I ensure my actions align with the department’s ethical standards?
If a colleague or leader noticed questionable behavior from me, would they feel comfortable bringing it up? Am I open to feedback, even if it challenges me? Do I take corrective action when needed?
Madeline was recognized for her reliability, while Pat’s actions cast doubt on his dependability. How do my daily actions show that I can be trusted to uphold the department’s values? Do I consistently follow through on my commitments?
Pat’s results were impressive, but his poor judgment overshadowed his performance. Do I balance strong performance with sound judgment and ethical behavior? How can I ensure my actions demonstrate not just competence, but also the character needed for leadership?
Integrity: Choosing what’s right over what’s convenient
Enhance your understanding of the foundations of Trust by reviewing the following resources. Take this opportunity to enhance your leadership effectiveness and expand your influence within the department and community.
3 Strategies for Leading Through Difficult Times
Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter and Rob Stembridge
The Power of Reliability: A Pillar of Trust and Success
Jim Iyoob
Trusted Leaders Practice Transparency in These 5 Ways
Scott Mautz