The CopDoc Podcast: Aiming for Excellence in Leadership

• Dallas Police - Daniel Comeaux -Empower, Inspire, Motivate: A Chief’s Blueprint For Modern Policing

  The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 163What 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 with deep local roots.We talk strategy that bites: a relentless felony-warrants push with the U.S. Marshals, stronger ties with DEA and FBI, and a precision focus on repeat violent offenders. Then we zoom out to the backbone—evidence-based policing—through partnerships with UTSA for the city’s crime plan, Prairie View A&M for juvenile pathways, and SMU’s VR training to sharpen cultural competency and decision-making. Crime is down five years running, recruitment is surging, and a 10-month academy turns cadets into street-ready officers prepared to act with confidence and restraint.Technology isn’t window dressing here. Drones as first responders become a triage engine for low-priority calls, freeing officers to move to real emergencies and cutting response times. Inside the department, accountability is strict yet fair: discipline with context, truth over politics, and promotions tied to peer respect and proven experience. Wellness sits near the top of the operational stack because the job demands it—support that keeps good officers healthy and effective. And across Dallas, collaboration with city services turns quality-of-life complaints into quick fixes, reinforcing that public safety is a team sport.If you’re curious about modern policing that blends community engagement, transparency, data, and decisive enforcement, this conversation lays out a blueprint you can put into practice, listen to Chief Danny Comeaux on The CopdDoc Podcast. Like what you hear? Follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review to tell us what your city should try next.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: [email protected] Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf 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 [email protected]

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• Jim Burch -From DOJ Halls to NPI: Building Evidence-Based, Human-Centered Policing

  The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 162Policing 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 regional differences that shape what “evidence-based” looks like on the ground.We dig into NPI’s multi-city hot spots training experiment that cut crime by more than 20 percent without driving arrests up, and how implementation science turns studies into day-to-day practice. Jim opens up about cross-sector learning—borrowing just-in-time training from airlines and safety culture from fire and EMS—and why policing earns “profession” status when cities budget for standards, education, and officer wellness, not just cars and calls. He also tackles mission creep, the limits of co-response in under-resourced regions, and the practical ways agencies can pool capacity without losing local trust.AI is the tension point many leaders feel. Jim explains why NPI moved from tight restrictions to governed adoption—policies, transparency, and training—after seeing real productivity gains in analysis, drafting, and data work. Forget the narrow use-case fights; the near-term upside is smarter internal workflows that free experts to make better decisions faster. Paired with clear research summaries and careful adaptation, AI becomes a legitimate force multiplier for public service.If you care about evidence-based policing, officer wellness, and practical innovation that respects community nuance, this conversation offers both realism and hope. Subscribe, share with a colleague who wrestles with these issues, and leave a review telling us where your agency most needs help—implementation, AI literacy, or wellness—so we can explore it next.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: [email protected] Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf 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 [email protected]

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• Why Police Leaders Must Borrow and Share Good Ideas-Jason Sieczkowski, Asst. Chief Chandler, AZ Police

  The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 161In 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 for cops") displays citizen ratings throughout department facilities, reinforcing that policing is fundamentally about customer service. With an impressive 4.73/5 rating, officers receive constant visual confirmation that their community values their work.Sieczkowski's most powerful insights come when discussing leadership vulnerability. "Vulnerability equals trust," he explains, sharing how a formative experience shaped his approach. When a superior once told him, "I don't pay you for your opinion," he resolved never to lead that way. Instead, he creates psychological safety in meetings, explicitly telling teams that their honest feedback isn't just welcome but required.The conversation explores Chandler PD's innovative succession planning, which includes extended transition periods for critical positions, and their embrace of lateral transfers from agencies nationwide. Perhaps most refreshing is Jason's perspective on generational differences in policing. Rather than lamenting changing work attitudes, he celebrates how younger officers prioritizing wellness represents evolution, not decline: "They're better equipped mentally, physically, emotionally to do this job than we've ever been."Whether you're a law enforcement professional, aspiring leader, or citizen interested in police innovation, this episode offers valuable insights into how one department is balancing tradition with progress. As Sieczkowski emphasizes throughout: "Care for and value people. They are everything to us."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: [email protected] Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf 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 [email protected]

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• From Fine Arts to Tucson Police Chief: Chad Kasmar's Journey

  The CopDoc Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 160What 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 with a blank canvas, asking fundamental questions about what modern communities truly need from their police departments.The results speak for themselves. Under Kasmar's leadership, Tucson PD has expanded their Community Service Officer program to handle 70,000 calls annually that don't require armed response, reducing lower-priority response times by 50%. His department distinguishes between mistakes and misconduct, creating space for officers to learn and grow while maintaining accountability. Perhaps most remarkably, their Struggle Well program has saved multiple officers in crisis by focusing on post-traumatic growth rather than simply preventing PTSD.Kasmar doesn't shy away from difficult truths, questioning how America expects perfect performance from officers with just nine months of training when other trades require years of preparation. He advocates for growing police talent internally, developing leaders who understand their communities, and creating organizational cultures where seeking help isn't career-ending.For anyone interested in the future of policing, Kasmer offers this wisdom: "You don't get paid to have all the answers; you get paid to surround yourself with people who will help you find the best answer." This episode provides a masterclass in humble, innovative leadership that places community needs and officer wellness at the center of police work.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: [email protected] Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf 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 [email protected]

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• Dr. David Weisburd - Police Need Cookbooks, Not Just Theory - George Mason University

  The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 160What 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 hotspot policing movement that continues to transform law enforcement today.Contrary to what many might assume, Weisburd's research in high-crime neighborhoods reveals that residents overwhelmingly want more police presence, not less. When surveyed, only 6-7% of people living in these areas wanted fewer officers. What they actually desire isn't the absence of police but officers who treat them with respect and dignity—a finding that led Weisburd to conduct successful experiments combining focused policing with procedural justice training.Despite these advances, Weisburd argues that policing research remains drastically underfunded compared to fields like medicine. While the NIH receives around $45 billion annually, criminal justice research gets merely $200 million. This disparity explains why we lack what Weisburd calls a "cookbook" for police—practical, evidence-based guidance for officers working in different contexts and communities.Throughout our conversation, Weisburd shares stories from his international work, the challenges of conducting research during times of conflict in Israel, and his vision for a National Institute of Policing that would elevate law enforcement science to the level it deserves. Whether you're a police professional, researcher, or concerned citizen, this episode offers rare insight into how evidence-based approaches can build safer, more just communities.Listen now to understand why police science deserves billions, not millions, and how research can help departments navigate today's complex challenges with greater effectiveness and legitimacy.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: [email protected] Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf 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 [email protected]

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