About Ross Swope

In a career spanning more than four decades, I rose through the ranks of the Metropolitan Police Department in both uniform and investigative positions. I began as a uniform patrolman and retired 27 years later as a Deputy Chief, a commander of a police district with over 400 officers and officials under my charge. Along the way I earned three master’s degrees, one each from Johns Hopkins University, The American University, and Cambridge University in the U. K. My broad range of experience and expertise led to more than 35 publications of my insights in both practitioner and academic journals on police topics, nationally and internationally. Also, along the way I was awarded the Medal of Valor (MPD’s highest award for courage), and the Medal of Merit. In 1999, I became one of only two police officers in the U. S. to receive a Fulbright Scholar award. This enabled me to spend almost a year in the UK working with Scotland Yard. That led to service as an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins and The American University, where I taught Ethics. I traveled to Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Serbia at the request of the Department of Justice to teach senior level management and command staff policing tactics and strategies. Following my retirement from the Metropolitan Police Department, I was recruited and hired by the Supreme Court of the United States as their Chief of Police where I spent 14 years. At the Court, I was responsible for the protection and security of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices, dignitaries, VIP’s, guests and over 300 thousand visitors to the Court each year. During my tenure I transformed a guard force into a top-flight, professional, full-service police department of over 160 sworn officers. From my earliest days as a sergeant in charge of a squad, I witnessed the good and bad elements in the ranks. That sparked my development of a leadership ethos to effectively address ethical shortcomings. This culminated in a common sense, practical approach to achieving ethics-based policing. Throughout my career I lead with a vision to constantly improve and advance police services. Ethics-based policing created the backbone for my 43 year career and my success as a leader. My approach has been tested and proven to result in a reduction or elimination of police misconduct and the use of excessive force.