SummaryToxic leadership, likely found in every agency at some point, and the general awareness of toxic leaders that individual officers have worked with, make it a real problem for law enforcement. Knowing the root and cause of this type of leadership helps develop understanding on the part of those who can effect leadership change within an agency. Understanding the methods by which such environments develop and their negative impact on the agency as a whole – via the individual experiences of agents, opens the door to hidden collusions that destroy morale. Toxic Leadership in Law Enforcement Organizations In any discussion of leadership, thoughts immediately begin to turn to examples of leadership gone wrong. These may include leaders who intimidate, threaten, or let their mood affect the agency environment (Reed, 2004, p. 67). The reason we focus on these examples is the destructive impact they have on the agency as a whole, as well as the individual officers unfortunate enough to serve under this type of leader. Such leaders foster an environment of backbiting and denigration as a method of control, which creates an untenable environment for officers who choose not to engage in such behavior and, more often than not, encourages those who do. This type of management gives rise to:1. Turf construction2. Fights3. Control rather than manage (Whicker, 1996, p. 11). Such supervisors promote themselves through short-term visible demonstrations of their accomplishments, but do not care about staff development or morale (Reed, 2004, p. 67). Toxic leaders affect the atmosphere of an agency by creating a demotivating environment while being present middle of paper ...... at the problem or by getting the attention of the toxic leader? In truth this is not the case, keeping records of his personal experience is about all he can do, it will take many brave officers to do the same and come forward as a group to have any hope of getting a positive impact on the situation. Furthermore, given the distrust engendered in a toxic work environment, such actions will likely be perceived by the host authority as "mutinous" or, just as ironically, as putting individual interests ahead of those of the organization. agency. Works Cited Reed, CG (2004, July - August). Toxic leadership. Military Review, pp. 67-71. Whicker, M. L. (1996). Toxic leaders: when organizations go wrong. New York: Doubleday. Wilson-Starks, K.Y. (2003). Toxic leadership. Retrieved August 14, 2010 from Transleadership: http://www.transleadership.com/ToxicLeadership.pdf