In the wake of calamities like the New Orleans terror attack and the devastating LA wildfires, it’s hard not to notice an unsettling pattern in leadership. Both cities boasted leaders chosen, for the most part, to satisfy diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. While diversity in its natural, unforced form might bring a different perspective to leadership, forcing DEI as a prerequisite for critical roles like police chiefs and fire chiefs can have unintended, dangerous consequences.
Imagine hiring a surgeon because their background adds diversity to the team, regardless of their expertise with a scalpel. It’s absurd, yet in some cases, our approach to leadership feels similarly reckless. When lives are at stake, as they often are in law enforcement and emergency response, qualifications must take priority over optics.
New Orleans needed a police chief equipped with a wealth of crisis management experience to steer through chaos. Instead, the city got a leader who may have excelled in DEI metrics but struggled to command effectively under pressure. Similarly, Los Angeles placed a DEI focused fire chief in charge during an unprecedented wildfire season. The result? A community left questioning whether their leaders were chosen for their abilities or to meet a checklist.
This isn’t to dismiss the importance of fairness and opportunity in hiring, but leadership positions, especially those that impact public safety, should be filled based solely on accomplishments and experience. Hiring decisions must prioritize proven expertise and capability, without regard to race, religion, gender, or sexual identity. Judging individuals solely on their qualifications ensures the most capable candidates are chosen, strengthening public trust and confidence. Making diversity a prerequisite, rather than an organic outcome of fair hiring practices, risks sidelining those best suited for the role, ultimately endangering lives when critical leadership is needed most.
As a nation, we must reframe our priorities. Mission success is driven by qualifications, expertise, and proven ability, not by diversity initiatives. People respect leaders for what they accomplish, not what they look like doing it. The best leaders are those who excel through their skills, knowledge, and readiness to handle crises, with no regard to their background, race, gender, or identity. Forcing DEI into leadership roles undermines competence and trust, often at the expense of effectiveness.
When disaster strikes, the public cares only about a leader’s ability to deliver results. DEI does not contribute to mission success… qualifications do. Leadership must always prioritize the most capable individuals, selected solely for their achievements and experience. Anything less is a disservice to the communities that depend on them.
