What Strong Police Leadership Looks Like: Meet Chief Mike Koval
Part of the For the Blue police leadership series
Being a police chief isn’t a job for the weak-minded. There’s never a shortage of crises, issues within the ranks, disgruntled constituents, or budgetary constraints. You have to be near-perfect, because even the slightest error in judgment can cost lives. Mismanagement can tank department morale, damage police-community relations, and create more crime victims.
In these times of heightened hostility for law enforcement, the stakes are even greater. Chiefs must now navigate a landscape where cops are at increased risk for being attacked and killed, crime has surged, and staffing shortages have become commonplace.
An effective police chief must be able to stand strong amid intense and constant scrutiny, and reject the temptation to submit to political pressure. The job is a measure of one’s conscience and level of inner strength.
Yet our Constitution demands that the rule of law overshadow career ambition and a desire to be popular. Chiefs who fail at this obligation risk leading their departments -and the cities they are sworn to protect- down a darkened path.
Ironically, at a time when law enforcement is starved for solid leaders, it seems that those with a propensity to place politics before the badge are often the ones being hired.
While it takes a special person to do the job effectively, this doesn’t mean strong, effective police leadership isn’t feasible. I know it is possible because I’ve seen it in action.
Meet Retired Chief Mike Koval
A Genuine Love for Policing and the Constitution
Chief Mike Koval, who retired from the Madison Police Department in 2019 after a 37-year career in law enforcement, is what those in the profession refer to as a cop’s cop.
Always available for his officers, he’d personally drive them to the hospital when they were injured, call them (we’re talking about 457 officers!) on their birthdays and special occasions.
One rank-and-file officer told me that the Chief would show up at field trainings on the weekends, unannounced, “just to check on us.”
The Chief exhibited the type of fierce protection for his cops that you might expect from a parent. As one father of a rank-and-file police officer confided in me:
“The Chief stands at the front, taking all the hatred they (the cop critics) have for all police.”
He’d publicly defend his officers when the department was under fire and insist on due process of law when an officer was involved in an incident.
A week after one officer-involved fatality, the attacks against the Department (as you can imagine) began. As the Chief wrote in his letter to the Madison Common Council:
“It is unacceptable for elected officials to remain silent while an institution like the MPD is sullied with drive-by disrespect.”
He also used these incidents to educate the public on police procedure. We learned the rationale for using spit guards, why TASERS aren’t always reliable, and even some case law (Graham v. Connor).
This doesn’t mean officers got free passes. As the Chief once told me:
“My cops mean everything to me and they know I’d do anything for them. But they also know I’d hold them accountable.”
Recruits who couldn’t handle the rigors of policing or perform to the Department’s high standards were let go. What he refused to do was throw good cops under the bus.
A Commitment to the Rule of Law
As a fair-minded chief, he was open to giving second chances via restorative justice to offenders (especially juveniles) who committed minor crimes. And he created a mental health unit comprised of five specially-trained police officers to address gaps in the system.
Repeat offenders and perpetrators who committed high-level crimes, however, drew his rightful indignation.
When crime increased, he formed special task forces to rid the city of repeat offenders. His words to violent offenders were strong and unmistakable. As he once said after an arrest in connection with a shooting:
“We’re tired of you folks. We want to work with you, but if you’re not going with the flow then you’re going to have to deal with the MPD every step of the way. We’re not messing around here.”
These actions resulted in a citizenry that felt (and were!) more secure; and police officers who were more confident to do their jobs as the law and their training prescribed.
Always Giving 200%
It’s hard to think of anyone who could match Chief Koval’s level of energy and dedication to policing, the Department, and community. He often worked 16-hour days, even on weekends and holidays.
He’d personally visit victims of violent crimes at their homes, give them his personal cell phone number, and check up on them. He would help them move and follow up with their families years after a case was still cold.
As a strong believer in police-community partnerships, he was a regular fixture at a range of community events, held regular listening sessions, and took time to follow up with people who contacted him. If he was moved by a comment, it wasn’t unusual for him to call that person or even show up at their home to express gratitude.
He inspired Steve to start a neighborhood watch -the Midvale Heights Neighborhood Watch- which would eventually become (as the Chief said), the city’s gold standard watch group.
If it hadn’t been for Chief Koval, I probably wouldn’t be writing this post and advocating for police. While I’ve always respected police officers and saw them as essential, my passion has been in advocating for mistreated animals. It’s the Chief who opened my eyes to the complexities of policing and who inspired me to become a citizen advocate.
Do You Know Any Leaders Like Chief Koval?
We’re not asking for perfection or for police chiefs to be exact replicas of Chief Koval (if that’s even possible). They do, however, have an obligation to their cops and the public. Buckling under the first signs of political pressure is an abdication of those responsibilities.
When police chiefs place their own career ambitions before public safety, officer well-being, and the rule of law; or when they snub their noses at due process for fear of offending the political elite; they are weakening their departments. By extension, that behavior puts the rest of us and those we love in a more vulnerable position.
Rank-and-file officers deserve better. As do we all.
If you know of a great police chief, please let me know at fortheblue@substack.com. I’d love to do an interview for my series on police leadership.
How to Learn More About Chief Koval’s Brand of Leadership
Read about his thoughts on police leadership
Listen to a recent media interview
A local radio newscast recently interviewed the Chief for his reactions on a recent armed robbery in a neighboring suburb and his thoughts on how to reduce crime. I highly recommend listening to the taped podcast (his part begins at about the 1:15 part).
Read about what others think of him
To get a glimpse of what Madison police officers, outside law enforcement agencies, and members of the public think of Chief Koval, read through the comments on the online petition I started after he retired.
See for yourself
Chief Koval isn’t looking for a new career, fame, or glory but he’s still dedicated to law enforcement. If you’d like to interview the Chief or have him speak at your event, I’m sure I could persuade him (no, he most certainly did not ask me to do this). He’s exceptionally knowledgeable and a gifted speaker, so you’re in for a real treat! You can reach me at fortheblue@substack.com.
Update on Mid-term Election Project
I've now sent invitations to candidates running in gubernatorial & both U.S. House races in these swing states: Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, & Nevada. The only state that thus far hasn't yielded any affirmative responses is Nevada. Multiple candidates in three of the states have already committed to taking the survey; just one candidate in the fourth.
I’ll follow up with non-respondents in a couple weeks. I'll also send invitations to candidates in Florida, Arizona, & New Hampshire after their primaries, then provided there’s time, will start work on special requests (thus far Maryland and Illinois).
If you live in any of these states (or not) and would like to help follow up with candidates, please give me a holler.
You can read more about this initiative here, and read the results from Wisconsin candidates here.
Helpful Resources!
I recently ran across a couple of resources you may find useful.
Fighting Back Against Weak District Attorneys
A new organization called Protecting Americans Actions Fund organized by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, has been formed to elect non-Soros district attorneys.
Mention of this organization is in a recent Wall Street Journal article, which you can read in its entirety here.
To learn how radical prosecutors are being allowed to permeate our criminal justice system, I recommend reading Justice for Sale by the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund. Not only does the report show the connection between crime surges and the rise of “reform” prosecutors, but how campaign money is funneled to their election campaigns.
Help for Cops at the Personal Level
The spouses, families, and significant others of police officers are often on my mind, and I can’t begin to imagine the stress they experience. Enter an organization called How2LoveOurCops. They seem to be a proactive group that offers helpful resources.
Per their website:
“Our focus is the foundations of personal life…great relationships at home and with others. This support creates positivity in the life of officers and their families, setting the tone and laying a healthy foundation that will help them to thrive on duty and off.”
I will be reaching out to both organizations for an interview. If you know of any individuals or organizations making a difference for law enforcement, please contact me at fortheblue@substack.com. I’d love to set up a time to chat with them.
Please note that I’m just a volunteer with a full-time life, so these efforts take time.
For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at fortheblue@substack.com.