𝐃𝐨 𝐖𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐬?

 

Over the weekend, Hamilton County lost former Sheriff Simon Leis.

 

When I saw this photo, it reminded me of everything I'd heard about Sheriff Leis over the years. He held himself to the same high standards he expected of every deputy who wore the badge.

 

Talk to anyone who worked for Sheriff Leis, and you'll hear many of the same stories. He believed deputies should look like professionals because they represented a profession. Uniforms were clean. Boots were shined. Haircuts mattered. You addressed people with respect. "Yes, sir." "No, sir." "Yes, ma'am." "No, ma'am." You carried yourself with confidence because you weren't just representing yourself; you were representing the Sheriff's Office.

 

Those standards went far beyond polished boots and pressed shirts. They reflected a leader who understood that professionalism begins long before the public ever sees you. Before a word is spoken, people notice whether an officer takes pride in the uniform, carries himself with confidence, and treats others with courtesy and respect.

 

Culture starts there. Leaders who expect professionalism almost always build organizations that take pride in their work. When leaders stop paying attention to the little things, it usually isn't long before the bigger things begin slipping as well.

 

I sometimes wonder whether leaders like Simon Leis would be successful in today's environment. Not because I think today's officers are incapable of meeting high standards, but because I'm not sure today's leaders are willing to insist on them.

Every generation has exceptional officers, average officers, and officers who struggle. The difference has always been leadership. People generally rise or fall to the standards their leaders establish and enforce.

 

We spend a lot of time talking about recruiting, retention, public trust, and the future of policing. Those conversations are important, but they shouldn't distract us from the fundamentals. Professional appearance, courtesy, command presence, respect, and accountability aren't outdated concepts. They're the foundation of a professional police organization.

Sheriff Simon Leis understood that.

 

Maybe it's time we started expecting it again.

 

Sheriff Leis, thank you for your decades of service to Hamilton County and for setting a standard that is still worth striving for. Leadership isn't about lowering the bar. It's about setting it high enough that people rise to meet it.