Here is the long-awaited video of the Centurion, filmed on location in Capernaum, Israel. The Dynamic of Authority is the centerpiece of the Police Dynamics message. And the account of the Centurion is the focal point of that dynamic. I had an incredible opportunity to relate this story from Matthew 8:5-13 standing in the very synagogue built by this amazing government leader.

The best historical illustration of a man under authority happened about 2000 years ago in this little village along the Sea of Gallilee. The Centurion assigned to this post was the representative of Roman governmental authority. He was the law enforcement official of that time, responsible for maintaining the law, order, health, safety, and morals of that community. As modern day centurions, his story is pivotal for any law enforcement officer or government official eager to gain an understanding of this important principle.

Here is some more video from Capernaum showing the outside of the synagogue, St. Peter’s home (under the glass dome), and the Sea of Gallilee.

This quote from Franklin’s autobiography (1771) shows the dangers of pride. That’s why the Independent Spirit gets so many officers in trouble.

When I was presenting the Dynamic of Authority at a National Sheriff’s Association Conference a few years back, I had said that our ego (pride) can be one of our worst enemies in a crisis and set us on that most dangerous Path of Destruction. One of the sheriffs in the audience challenged me on this. He said he considered his ego as his most valuable weapon when on the street. When I tried to explain that pride and ego can get in the way of accomplishing the police mission, and that although we represent any number of authorities, the one thing we do not “officially” represent is ourselves, he got up, gathered his things and left the room.

It can be a difficult teaching to accept because it goes against our human nature to a degree. I’m glad that our Founders, like Ben Franklin, were able to put their egos aside as they built the greatest nation on the planet.

Those of you who have attended Police Dynamics training in the past will recognize this image as the Twin Towers of Integrity, a model I use to illustrate how character and competence work in tandem to produce a man or woman of integrity. If the foundation is strong, the structure will stand because it has “structural integrity.” But if the pillars are weak, the structure will collapse under pressure.

Twin Towers of Integrity

The ruins of Beth Shean gave me a great opportunity to illustrate the importance of character and competence and what happens when the foundation is weak. We know officers who have tried to build a life or a career around competence alone. These people know procedure, they know the law, they can cite policies by chapter and verse. They are experts in their field…. But you can’t trust them. And sooner or later the character test will come and their lives will come crumbling down around their ears. How many careers, how many relationships, how many reputations, how many marriages have we seen disintegrate due to a character failure…?

And for you archaeology buffs, one more video from the ruins of Beth Shean…

In another video from our visit to Beth Shean, I discuss how individual character qualities serve as the building blocks of a man or woman of integrity. Without them, our integrity fails and we become “dis-integrated…”

For you archaeology buffs, here’s some more video footage from Beth Shean. You can read more about this fascinating city in the Bible. Check out 1 Samuel 31. Then to see the integrity of King David and the men of Jabesh Gilead put to the test, look at 2 Samuel 2:4-7.

It’s been a long time since I added a post to the blog. I’ve been preoccupied with my extended leave at home (almost 3  months), new job responsibilities (settled in as a Police Advisor working at the US Embassy in Kabul), and working on my Master’s degree (finished my degree from Columbia Southern University the other night).

This micro-lecture was filmed at Beth Shaen, an ancient city where King Saul’s body, the king of Israel, was hung on the wall after his death at Mount Gilboa. Here I talk about the definition of policing as the “regulating and control of the affairs of a community especially as it relates to law, order, health, safety, and morals.”

Here’s some additional video from Beth Shaen if you are interested…

I just learned that my re-deployment to Afghanistan has been delayed for three weeks so I will have time for one or two Police Dynamics conferences. If anyone is interested, we need to start making plans fairly soon. Due to demand, this will have to be on a “first come – first served” basis.

Contact me at ray@policedynamics.com for a training proposal or to schedule a conference…

Filmed at the City of David in Jerusalem, in this video I talk about the principle of Super Vision as it applies to character-based leadership. When King David was assembling his army in Ziklag, the Bible chronicles the number of men who came from each tribe. Except in the case of the Tribe of Issachar. The Bible does not give us the exact number of men. It only says that there were “200 chiefs.” These were the supervisors of David’s army. The Bible says they “understood the times and knew what Israel had to do.”

This was a critical dimension in David’s army. And it is a critical component of any law enforcement or military organization today. Police Dynamics is all about understanding the times so you will know what you, and your jurisdiction, has to do.

Editor’s note: I misspoke about the number of chiefs. The Bible says it was 200, not 300. Maybe I was getting it confused with Gideon’s army. Or maybe I was just sleep-deprived from camping in the desert…

Interestingly, after I posted the two videos that were recorded at the Dead Sea, I was contacted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. They were so impressed with the site that they asked me to help them promote the Dead Sea as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Apparently, the Dead Sea is on the short list of sites and a designation as one of the 7 wonders will help Israel’s tourism economy. The New7Wonders is an ad campaign that allows you to vote for your choices from the short list that has already been chosen. The Ministry of Tourism has set up a special website just so you can vote for the Dead Sea. I’ve already visited the site and cast my vote.

This is an official campaign that is endorsed by the Israeli government. However, keep in mind that it IS an ad campaign so they ask for some personal information such as name and email address before you can cast your vote. You also have to vote for six other choices before you can cast your vote for the Dead Sea. But I found it interesting to learn more about these other wonders of the world as well.

Here’s your chance to help support our friends in Israel…

Here we are frolicking in the Dead Sea. They say the mud is real good for your skin due to the mineral content so I thought I would try rubbing it in. The salt and mineral content is so high that you can float effortlessly. If you’ve never experienced it, it really is an odd feeling. You bob like a cork! Just don’t get it in your eyes. It’s worse than pepper spray…!