The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 24, Number 7 | Page 5

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | October 2018
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
MITCHELL C. SKLAR
Gettysburg and After
From September 21 – 23, the NJSACOP conducted this year’s Staff Ride for Law
Enforcement at the national park in Gettysburg, PA. Naturally, the program
focused on the historic battle that took place in July, 1863.
The leaders at the Battle of Gettysburg faced problems all too familiar to the
modern police executive — internal politics, working with often unreliable information, juggling a
shortage of manpower and resources, getting people with diverse personalities to work together for
a common goal. The decisions they made in the face of these obstacles provide a range of leadership
lessons for today’s police executive.
Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle in the American Civil War with around 50,000 casualties, and it
marked one of the war’s turning-points. Over the three days of fighting, victory hung in the balance, as
the commanders’ individual strengths and weaknesses caused the battle to swing first one way then the
other.
In many ways, the battle provides a laboratory to explore contemporary issues including strategic
thinking, decisiveness, empowerment, succession management, personal projection, communication,
acting under pressure, and the use of new technology. As always on our Staff Rides, the attendees had
a very enjoyable time while at the same time studying and contemplating these issues.
Times change, but truly some issues are eternal, and how those who came before us confronted those
issues can provide us with valuable lessons.
The Association will continue to mine the great events from our nation’s past, drawing contemporary
lessons from the experiences of leaders (and those they led) who shaped that past by their actions and
decisions. We hope you will consider joining us at a future program. You can be certain it will be a
moving, educational and enjoyable experience.
Mitchell C. Sklar, Esq.
Executive Director
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