Dear Editor,

Rethinking talent and equity in policing requires a fundamental shift in how police organisations define excellence, identify potential, and distribute opportunities. The core insight from recent research is clear: Policing has long relied on narrow, traditional, and often gendered definitions of “talent”, which no longer match the complexity of modern policing demands.

This research argues that meaningful reform requires expanding the definition of talent, dismantling historical biases, and adopting inclusive, data-driven systems that recognise the diverse competencies essential for effective policing.

At the heart of the challenge lies the narrow and outdated conception of talent that has long dominated policing. Historically, officers were evaluated primarily on physical capability, operational performance, and command presence. These criteria reflected the needs of an earlier era — one in which policing was largely reactive, crime was localised, and community expectations were limited.

Today, however, policing is an ecosystem of specialised disciplines. Excellence is no longer singular or linear; it is multidimensional. Officers may excel in digital forensics, intelligence analysis, community engagement, crisis negotiation, victim support, or strategic planning. Each of these domains requires distinct competencies, and traditional performance metrics can adequately capture none of them.

When talent is defined too narrowly, organisations inadvertently overlook individuals whose strengths lie outside conventional policing norms. We may recall the saying, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will spend its whole life thinking it is stupid.” The quote is often attributed to Albert Einstein, and while its origins may be debated, its truth is not. That simple metaphor captures a fundamental flaw in how workplaces, including policing, too often assess talent, performance, and value. We measure individuals against a narrow standard, then mistake misalignment for deficiency.

Like most modern professions, policing is not composed of a single skill set, it is an ecosystem of disciplines. It requires technical proficiency, emotional intelligence, academic and investigative capacity, physical capability, judgment under pressure, legal literacy, communication, and empathy.

Arguably, to suggest that any officer could sit at the top of all these categories would be as unreasonable as expecting a gold medallist in the 100-meter sprint to also take gold in the 100-meter freestyle. We instinctively understand that elite athletic performance is specialised, and we celebrate it. On rare occasions, a Clara Hughes-like individual emerges, competing in both summer and winter Olympics, a marvel not because it is common, but precisely because it is not.

Yet, in policing, we frequently fall into the trap of assuming that excellence should be universal, transferable, and linear. This is not, and will never be, the case.

While most officers begin their careers in uniformed patrol, the profession quickly branches. Some enter tactical response, special weapons and tactics (SWAT), or become detectives. Others master forensic identification and crime scene processing or refine the art of interviewing traumatised victims or reluctant suspects. Still, others move into digital investigations, community engagement, or intelligence work.

No one questions that different domains require different kinds of strength. The top recruit academically may not be the best at controlling a chaotic scene. The tactical standout may not be the ideal person to interview a child victim. The empathetic officer who excels at supporting survivors of domestic violence may not be the right choice to execute a dynamic entry on a barricaded suspect.

Each of these competencies contributes to public safety, but not all are measured, rewarded, or elevated equally.

Rethinking talent and equity in policing is not merely an administrative exercise; it is a strategic imperative. Modern policing requires a workforce that is diverse in skills, inclusive in opportunity, and adaptive in capability. By expanding the definition of talent, dismantling historical biases, and adopting inclusive, data-driven systems, police organisations can build a workforce equipped to meet the complex demands of contemporary society. Equity is not an add-on — it is a foundational principle that ensures the right people are recognised, developed, and empowered to contribute to public safety. The future of policing depends on its ability to embrace this broader, more inclusive vision of talent.

Dormah B Harrison

Retired assistant commissioner of police

dormahh@gmail.com