One Saturday night, we were overwhelmed—call to call, every officer busy. A disturbance came in at a nightclub, and I was the only unit free. I took the call, and a narcotics detective, Officer Hodges, offered to back me up. I’ve always suspected narcotics detectives appear only when absolutely needed—and apparently, this was one of those nights.
We arrived to find two men chest to chest in the parking lot, like middle-schoolers arguing over who started it. I ordered them to stay put. One complied. The other—Mike—walked away. I repeated the command, and my “command presence” turned into “command irritation.” Hodges followed Mike while I handled the other man.
When I confronted Mike, my attitude wasn’t right. I let frustration lead, arrested him, and he ran. I chased him with confidence… right into wet grass. I slipped and went down hard, flat on my stomach. It wasn’t a fall—it was a demonstration. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” That verse has never been clearer to me than it was face-down in that grass. Mike slipped too, and we arrested him safely.
Later, I felt convicted. As a Christian and as a leader, I knew my attitude didn’t reflect who I wanted to be. Luke 14:11 says, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” I went to the station, apologized to Mike, and owned my behavior. He said, “I know, Lieutenant—I was just drunk.” Lesson received.
A week later, during another loud-party call, someone recognized me and said, “Hey you’re that cop at the bar. That was awesome how you dove and tripped that guy—just like on TV.” As we left, Hodges said, “Only you, Wallace, can fall down and still look like a hero.”
Leadership built on pride will always end in a fall. But servant leadership—humility, accountability, and grace—is what God honors. James 4:10 reminds us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
So the question is this: will you fall protecting your pride, or will you humble yourself and let God do the lifting?
