Leading Up the Org Chart
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In this episode, host Michael Warren interviews Chuck Dahlinger, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in law enforcement and military service. The conversation delves into the essence of leadership, emphasizing the importance of informal leadership, diversity of perspectives, and agile leadership. Dahlinger shares his experiences from his career, the critical role of effective communication, and the value of continuous learning. The discussion touches on the challenges and skills gained from public safety roles, the importance of maintaining humanity in leadership positions, and strategies for retaining motivated officers. This episode is a deep dive into effective leadership practices and the importance of nurturing skills and mindsets that foster supportive and safe environments.
Episode Guest
Charles W. Dahlinger has retired in law enforcement for thirty years, working for the Kalamazoo Dept of Public Safety since 1990, and prior to that Western Michigan University Campus Police. Mr. Dahlinger also served active duty United States Army, assigned as a Reconnaissance Specialist, earning an Honorable Discharge. In addition, Chuck has been the past Coordinator for In-Service Training with the Kalamazoo Law Enforcement Training Center, and has served as a resource person and instructor for the Kalamazoo Regional Police Academy. Mr. Dahlinger is currently serving as an Adjunct Faculty member with Kalamazoo Valley Community College, prior to that teaching at Western Michigan University for five years. Mr. Dahlinger is also a past guest lecturer for Cooley Law School.
Mr. Dahlinger received his Bachelor Degree from Ferris State University in Criminal Justice and has completed his course work towards a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice Management from Ferris State University, pending the acceptance of his thesis entitled “CivilLitigation and Analysis of Application of Proposed Standards to Actual Training”. He’s also been enrolled in the past at Western Michigan University as a past doctoral candidate working towards a PhD with an emphasis in Criminology.
Mr. Dahlinger has written one text book and several training manuals, including over two dozen articles for several law enforcement magazines, including the monthly column“Behind the Wheel” for POLICE Magazine. He has been cited as an expert by other publications as well. He is a past member of elite organizations such as American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers (ASLET) and Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). Chuck’s research has been utilized by National Criminal Justice Reference Services, Dept. of Justice, as well as the FBI Research Library, FBI National Academy, Quantico, VA. Mr. Dahlinger’s work has been cited and quoted in the Harvard Law Review. He is regularly consulted on training issues by law firms and police departments across the country and has providing expert opinions.
Chuck’s national seminar “Combat Thinking for Law Enforcers” has been attended by over 3000 law enforcement professionals across the United States in the last several years. Besides the previous seminar, he is also conducting “Enhancing Policing in America” for law enforcement officers.
