Think Infinite Game. Act now.

I am not a fan of the term “21^st Century Policing”. I believe it is a problematic term for several reasons:

• It is too broad, encompassing 100 years of policing. Are we talking about early 21^st Century, mid 21^stCentury or late into the 21^st Century? 
• Because we are less that ¼ of the way into the century we think we have lots of time left (76 years) to make change. 
• Many of us currently in and around the policing profession will be dead before the end of the 21^stCentury and those who are still alive will be long retired. 
• For many people in the policing profession, it is a term without impact or meaning.

I am, however, an advocate of The Infinite Game and enhancing the policing profession long term. While this may seem hypocritical based on what I wrote in the first paragraph, let me explain. Because the term “The Infinite Game” is not about a finite amount of time, like a century, it brings a different image to mind. The Infinite Game is about what are you doing today, to help build a better future. What you are doing today to ensure you leave your team, squad, division, agency better because you were there. 

Instead of sitting around at conferences and committees talking about 21^st Century Policing, we all need to be taking action now, today, and every day, to make things a little better in our piece of our organization. Your piece of the organization will impact other pieces of the organization and in doing so, your piece of your organization will impact the profession. No one person can change their entire agency or organization. No one person can change the entire policing profession. Each of us can, however, change ourselves and can influence our piece of our agency or organization or profession. 

As trainers you are in one of the most influential leadership positions in your agency. Take time to reflect on what actions you have taken in the last 12 months to improve your mind, body, and craft. What did you do in the last 12 months to advance the training in your agency? More importantly, reflect on what actions you are willing to commit to take to positively impact and influence your agency and the heroic men and women you have the privilege to train. What are you going to do today, this week, this month to make small changes to your training to enhance the learning environment and potentially enhance the understanding, learning, retention, and transfer of the information, skills and tactics you teach? 

This is not about change for the sake of change. This is about meaningful, incremental change guided by the questions ‘What’s Important Now?’ and ‘What is the smallest change we can make that will make the biggest difference?’. 

We cannot afford to spend the next 76 years sitting around talking about 21^st Century Policing. We need to take action today, and every day to make the policing profession a little better. What are you going to do today to help move the profession forward just a little bit?

Take care.

Brian Willis

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