CPCA: What role has your education - and education of
officers in general - played in the city’s success?
Walters: Education has played a key role in helping me
be a better leader and understand the latest strategies and
tactics. The same is true for my staff and officers. They don’t
want to be under utilized. They want to make a difference.
Our job as leaders is to give them the support and training
along with a culture of excellence and innovation that
allows them to be the most effective.
The master’s degree in public administration and the
command college helped me greatly through my career deal
with complex problems and be an influential member of
the city’s executive management team. I believe you never
stop learning. I read a tremendous amount of books about
leadership and current events and issues. I can’t seem to get
enough knowledge. It helps me every day make decisions
that I have to make as chief - and for the past year as city
manager. Leadership and our challenges today are probably
more difficult than they have been in the past 30 years.
Being a safe city is key to any city’s success.
I have pushed to make sure everyone that is involved with
or lives and works in the city knows the Santa Ana success
story and the people who made it possible.
CPCA: What advice would you give to a police chief on
how to navigate the tricky political aspects of the job?
Walters: My advice to any new chief is ask someone who
has been there to get their insight. When you are immersed
in an issue someone that is not connected to the problem
or the department can see things you cannot see while you
are in the everyday mix. Above all use your best judgment
to lead and guide your leaders to do what is right for the
community and always for the right reasons.
I have been fortunate that I always worked for very ethical
leaders that believed in me and what I was trying to do. You
have to be happy doing what you do, and you have to feel
good about every day.
Being a leader requires making difficult decisions It is not
about giving orders. It is about building a culture where
others can be successful and make a difference. •
City of Santa Ana - FBI Crime Index (per 1,000 Population)
Spring 2012
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