Dr. Heather Glogolich, Captain, NJ Instititue of Technology Police

The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 169

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Steve Morreale sits down with Captain Dr. Heather Glogolich of the NJIT Police Department in Newark, New Jersey, for a candid, deeply personal, and professionally rich conversation about what it means to lead in policing today. Heather brings more than 22 years of law enforcement experience, an EdD focusing on domestic violence and higher education, and a hard-won perspective on what it takes not just to survive in a male-dominated profession, but to thrive in it and bring others along.

Heather speaks openly about her journey from the Morris County Sheriff's Office to patrol officer, lieutenant, and now captain, including having to sue her agency to secure a promotion she had earned. Rather than letting that experience define her bitterness, she channeled it into a commitment to mentorship and transformational leadership. Her story is one of accountability, growth, and choosing to lead with love, even when the institution made that difficult.

The conversation ranges widely, from the real reasons women remain underrepresented in law enforcement leadership, to the operational risks of empathy, to why she believes the first day on the job should include leadership training. Heather challenges comfortable assumptions, pushes back thoughtfully on conventional DEI narratives, and delivers a message that will resonate with anyone trying to grow as a leader, regardless of rank, gender, or years on the job.

KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• How Heather's path from the Morris County Sheriff's Office to NJIT shaped her leadership philosophy
• Women in policing leadership, the 30x30 initiative, and the real reasons representation remains low
• Balancing being a great cop and a great parent without sacrificing either
• Her personal experience as a survivor of domestic violence and how that shaped her doctoral research
• The difference between sympathy and empathy, and why empathetic policing carries operational risk
• Suing her agency to earn a promotion and what she did with the chip on her shoulder
• Culture change within your sphere of control when you cannot change the whole organization
• "Lead with love," servant leadership, and transformational leadership in practice
• Why the first day on the job should include leadership training
• How to mentor others while still seeking mentorship yourself, including her work with Simon Sinek's curve.org

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Contact us: [email protected] Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at [email protected]