Leading With a Vision

Earlier this year, the well-respected Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta office, David LeValley, passed away due to complications from his response to the World Trade Center on 9/11. Dave was a quiet leader who believed in partnerships.  He will be missed.  Dave will also be hard to replace.

At a recent Atlanta Joint Terrorism Task Force Executive Board meeting, I had the opportunity to meet the Acting SAC, Chris Hacker.  Chris is a genuinely nice guy who had most recently been the Acting Assistant Director of CID in Washington.

Fortunately for us, Chris was named as the Special Agent in Charge for Atlanta.  I could tell Chris was the right person for the job.

Chris recently spoke at the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police District 11 meeting.  He could have given a generic FBI talk.  I have heard quite a few of them over the years.

Instead, Chris shared his personal story and his vision for his office.

I’m glad I was there to hear it.

His Story

Chris grew up in Kentucky, and as a child, he dreamed of being an FBI Agent.  After high school, he attended Eastern Kentucky State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Chris joined the Lexington, Kentucky Police Department where he served with distinction.  He enjoyed being a local police officer, but after five years, Chris had an opportunity to apply as an Agent with the FBI.

In 2000, his childhood dream of joining the FBI became a reality.

Chris shared a lot of detail about his journey, his struggles and his guidance along his path.

Chris also shared four internal areas he wants to focus on as the SAC for the Atlanta office of the FBI.  I guess you could call it his vision for his office.  As I sat and listened to what he had to say, I couldn’t help but think his vision was universal and something all law enforcement leaders would benefit from hearing.

Below is my take on the four areas Chris talked about that day.

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Have Good Processes

It is essential to have good policies and good practices in how the organization carries out its business.  Without these proper processes, mistakes will be made.

Good processes also bring order to a department, which contributes to both effective and efficient operations.

Local State Certification programs and CALEA are great ways to make sure you have established the best practices necessary for the department.

Focus on Partnerships and Teamwork

The FBI along with every other law enforcement agency in the country couldn’t do their job without the assistance of others.

Citizens provide that force multiplier in our local community that allows all of us to do so much more with less.

Our partnerships with other law enforcement agencies give us the ability to leverage other agencies expertise and take advantage of additional resources when needed.

Of course, the great departments are all about teamwork.  When we work together, great things happen.

Protect Your Brand

Nothing is more important than a good name, for you as an individual or your organization.  It takes time to build trust and a lot of hard work.  However, it only takes a moment to lose it.

Protect our brand.  How do we do that?

We hold our staff accountable.  We pay attention to the small things today, so they don’t become the public embarrassments of tomorrow.

Innovate Internally

Law enforcement agencies must change and adapt if they want to remain relevant and continue to serve their community.  Time stands still for no organization, and neither do criminals.

A few years ago, who would have even thought about law enforcement using social media, implementing predictive policing strategies or using cell phone data daily to solve crimes.  All of those innovations have happened, and more are on the way.

We must continue to innovate, or we will stagnate.

Final Thought

Although the circumstances that brought SAC Chris Hacker to Atlanta were unfortunate, we are lucky to have him here.

Chris is a down to earth leader who understands and values the perspective of local law enforcement.  His focus internally should be an example for all of us.

Welcome to Atlanta!

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