The essence of integrity is “being who you represent yourself to be.” In the conclusion of the presentation on Character-based Law Enforcement from the 2005 International Association of Character Cities Conference, I use the lesson of the Centurion from Capernaum (Matthew chapter 8) to illustrate the power of being a man (or woman) of integrity who is not only in authority, but is under authority. Many of you have heard it before, but the lesson is so central to understanding the message of Police Dynamics that it bears repeating again.
Police officers are the centurions of today. Those who enforce the law must also obey the law. Those who are in authority must also be under authority.
Category: Dynamic of Authority
Fractionalized, that is “unwhole” people who are “divided” in their loyalties, weaken families, communities, organizations as well as the nation. There seems to be an endless parade of high profile folks who lack integrity in their most intimate relationships. Tragically, many of these actions are execused and even celebrated by many pundits and commentators. In reality each of these national and international episodes, as well as those local unpublished ones, only serve to weaken…”disintegrate” our social fabric.
“Neither shall you allege the example of the many as an execuse for doing wrong”. Exodus 23:2
[…] George Thompson of the Verbal Judo Institute recognizes it as the Art of Representation. It is the essence of integrity: being who you represent yourself to be. The uniform, the badge, the patch on your sleeve are meant […]