In law enforcement, accountability is a word that gets used often. It is demanded by the public. It is expected by elected officials. Sometimes it becomes the center of discussion after a mistake, a complaint, or a tragedy. But accountability is not something that should only appear when something goes wrong. True accountability starts long before a critical incident. It starts in the mirror.

As leaders in any profession, we do not earn credibility or respect by talking about standards. We earn those things by living them. The standard is not what we say during a press conference. The standard is what we tolerate when nobody is watching. The standard is not changing who you are simply for a title. It is staying true to yourself and not forgetting where you came from.

Every sheriff, chief, supervisor, a nd field training officer has a choice to make. We can either lead by example or lead by exception. We can hold ourselves to the same expectations we place on others, or we can create a culture where rank becomes an excuse. The moment accountability becomes something reserved for those lower on the organizational chart, the culture begins to deteriorate.

People watch what leaders do far more than they listen to what leaders say. If a supervisor expects deputies to arrive prepared but consistently arrives late, the message is clear. Culture is not built through mission statements hanging on a wall. Culture is built through daily examples. It is built when leaders consistently show up, do the work, and hold themselves to the same standards they expect from everyone else.

Law enforcement is a profession unlike most others. We are entrusted with extraordinary authority. We can deprive someone of their freedom. We make decisions in moments of crisis. We enter homes, investigate crimes, and often meet people on the worst day of their lives. That authority comes with an obligation to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Not because we are perfect. Far from it. Not because mistakes will never happen. They will. But because public trust is earned through accountability.

One of the greatest misconceptions about accountability is that it exists solely as a disciplinary tool.

Accountability is one of the most important forms of leadership. Accountability builds trust. Accountability starts with communication and allowing those we are trusted to protect a glimpse into what we do.

Good accountability is not about punishment. It is about ownership. It means acknowledging mistakes when they occur. It means correcting deficiencies before they become failures. It means accepting responsibility instead of searching for excuses. Everyone will make mistakes, daily, me included. My co-workers hear me say, “My bad,” “I forgot” or something very similar daily.

The strongest leaders I have known were never the ones who claimed to have all the answers. They were the ones willing to say, “I got that wrong,” and then worked to make it right. That kind of leadership creates trust. Those leaders will listen, which is the most important aspect of communication. Anyone who claims to know it all or has all the answers needs the boot.

Deputies are far more likely to accept criticism from a leader who is willing to criticize themselves. They are far more likely to embrace improvement when they see leaders doing the same. Accountability cannot be a one-way street. Accountability is needed through the chain of leadership, even when it is hard. Real leaders create more leaders.

If we expect our deputies to be physically fit, we should be setting that example. If we expect professionalism, we should demonstrate it. If we expect honesty, we should model it. If we expect continuous training and development, we should pursue it ourselves. Leadership by example is not a slogan. It is a responsibility. Without responsibility and accountability, you are just a figure head, an untrusty one at that.

One of the most dangerous things that can happen within any organization is the gradual lowering of standards. Rarely does it happen overnight. It happens through small compromises. A shortcut here. An excuse there. A policy ignored because it is inconvenient. A performance issue overlooked because addressing it might create conflict.

Holding the standard is often more difficult than setting it. It requires difficult conversations. It requires consistency. It requires treating people fairly, even when those decisions are unpopular. Most importantly, it requires courage. Courage to do the right thing when no one else knows the whole story or is willing to ask the hard questions.

Courage is not just running toward danger. Courage is confronting problems within your own organization. Courage is addressing misconduct when it involves someone you like. Courage is refusing to lower expectations simply because enforcing them is uncomfortable.

The public notices when leaders take ownership. They notice when agencies are transparent. They notice when standards are consistently applied. Trust is not built because an agency never makes mistakes. Trust is built because people believe the agency will address mistakes honestly and responsibly.

No agency is perfect. No leader is perfect. I am sure am not. No deputy is perfect. But excellence has never required perfection. Excellence requires commitment. It requires the willingness to improve every day. It requires leaders who refuse to ask others to do what they are unwilling to do themselves. The badge carries authority, but leadership carries responsibility. The title on the office door may establish rank, but example establishes influence.

Because the strongest standard in any organization is not the one written in policy. It is the one lived by its leaders every single day. When leaders set the standard, live the standard, and hold the standard, they create an organization capable of earning trust both within its ranks and throughout the communities it serves. Remember, true leaders don’t need a title to stand in the front.

That’s when real ownership and accountability (leadership) truly starts.

Alex Pruismann is the sheriff for Hamilton County.