IACP Leadership Principles & Strategic Planning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of power, as described in French and Raven's power taxonomy, comes from a leader's recognized expertise and knowledge?
- Legitimate power
- Coercive power
- Expert power (Correct answer)
- Referent power
Correct answer: Expert power
Expert power derives from others' perception that a leader possesses specialized knowledge or skills they respect and rely upon.
Question 2: A department's strategic plan states the vision: 'To be the safest city in America.' Why is this vision statement considered strategically weak?
- It is too focused on data and metrics
- It lacks legal authority to enforce safety
- It is vague, unmeasurable, and provides no actionable direction (Correct answer)
- It alienates community members outside city limits
Correct answer: It is vague, unmeasurable, and provides no actionable direction
Effective vision statements must be compelling yet specific enough to guide decision-making; 'safest city' provides no measurable benchmark or strategic guidance.
Question 3: When applying evidence-based policing principles to strategic planning, department decisions should primarily be guided by:
- The chief's personal experience and intuition
- Political pressure from elected officials
- Research findings on what policing strategies demonstrably reduce crime (Correct answer)
- Media coverage of high-profile incidents
Correct answer: Research findings on what policing strategies demonstrably reduce crime
Evidence-based policing requires that strategy and resource allocation be driven by rigorous research demonstrating effectiveness.
Question 4: A chief holds a department-wide meeting to explain new body camera policy changes and answers questions publicly. This practice best demonstrates which leadership principle?
- Unity of command
- Transparent and participatory communication (Correct answer)
- Span of control management
- Management by objectives
Correct answer: Transparent and participatory communication
Transparent communication — including explaining rationale and welcoming questions — builds organizational trust and models ethical leadership.
Question 5: In the context of police leadership, 'mission creep' refers to:
- Officers gradually becoming complacent during routine patrols
- An organization gradually expanding its role beyond its core mission without clear authorization (Correct answer)
- The chief slowly losing operational control of the department
- Officers creeping into jurisdictions outside their assigned territory
Correct answer: An organization gradually expanding its role beyond its core mission without clear authorization
Mission creep occurs when an organization takes on tasks beyond its defined scope, often diluting resources and blurring accountability.
Question 6: Which strategic leadership behavior is described as 'walking the talk' in police leadership development?
- Conducting foot patrols in high-crime areas
- Modeling the values and behaviors expected of all officers (Correct answer)
- Reviewing crime statistics during shift briefings
- Attending national law enforcement conferences
Correct answer: Modeling the values and behaviors expected of all officers
'Walking the talk' means leaders demonstrate through their own conduct the integrity, professionalism, and values they demand from subordinates.
Question 7: A department's strategic plan is reviewed annually and adjusted based on performance data and changing community needs. This process reflects which strategic management concept?
- Zero-based budgeting
- Continuous improvement and adaptive planning (Correct answer)
- Incident command system review
- Management by exception
Correct answer: Continuous improvement and adaptive planning
Adaptive planning treats strategy as a living document, incorporating performance feedback and environmental changes to remain relevant.
IACP Leadership Principles & Strategic Planning 5
Which type of power, as described in French and Raven's power taxonomy, comes from a leader's recognized expertise and knowledge?