Originally Posted by Bart

Y'know, law dawg, it is frustrating at times how often non-decisions are made around here. Perhaps you're right: it is the worst of both worlds. And I have to admit that perhaps my interpretation of what constitutes a good military leaders is skewed because I was assigned to specialized operational units. We conducted live, no-sh*t, real-world missions, so the BS factor was extremely low when it came to getting things done. Everyone I was affiliated with was a self-starter because we couldn't function with a permission-seeker in our midst.

At any rate, a good leader lets subordinate leaders do their jobs. And that was what prompted this sidebar discussion. I'm certain the same applies in law enforcement circles as well. The on-scene commander, or whatever it is you call the senior officer, has to be able to make the call without the chief of police second-guessing him from behind the desk. This includes situations when an officer screws up. I may not be saying it correctly, but you get the gist of what I mean.