#ILEETALive with Chief Frank Trammer – Building a Culture-Driven Police Department from the Ground Up Using CARES Leadership Principles

ILEETA Live Show Notes – August 2025 Episode

Featuring Chief Frank Trammer
“Building Culture with CARES: How Leadership, Love, and Vision Can Redefine Policing”

In the August 2025 edition of ILEETA Live, hosts Brian Hill, Joe Willis, and Todd Fletcher welcomed Chief Frank Trammer, a respected Georgia police chief, visionary leader, and ILEETA regular, for a conversation that delivered deep insight on building organizational culture with purpose.

But first, the hosts kicked off the hour with timely updates and reminders:

📣 ILEETA Announcements and Deadlines

• 🗓 Instructor Proposals are due by October 31. Already more than 56 have been submitted — a strong signal that #ILEETA2026 will be one of our best yet.

• 📚 ILEETA Journal article submissions are due September 10. The editorial team is eager to support new writers.

• 🎓 Scholarship applications open December 1.

• 🪪 Reminder: Your membership must be active to register for the 2026 Conference (March 16–21). Update your profile now.

• 📹 Subscribe to the ILEETA YouTube Channel to access instructor development content, past Live episodes, and more.

📘 August Book of the Month: The Ultimate Police Trainer’s Playbook by Antonio Zarzoza (Instructor Z)

Joe Willis and Brian Hill celebrated Instructor Z’s contribution to the ILEETA community and praised his book’s emphasis on training with clarity, structure, and impact. Zarzoza joined via video to share a powerful reminder:

“Inspiration before information. Be deliberate — not just intentional.”

🎤 Guest Interview: Chief Frank Trammer

Chief Trammer brought heartfelt insights and hard-earned wisdom from over two decades in law enforcement. In 2021, he built a new department from the ground up, assembling 58 officers out of 1,000+ applicants — all driven by a clear vision and deeply-rooted values.

🔑 Key Takeaways from Chief Trammer:

• Culture is cultivated, not inherited. The Stockbridge PD culture is built on CARES:

  • Character – Do what’s right, not what’s easy

  • Attitude – Positivity is expected, not optional

  • Respect – Especially internal respect between team members

  • Excellence – Strive to be better tomorrow than today

  • Service – Every person contributes to the mission

• “Vision attracts.” Applicants didn’t just want a job — they wanted to be part of something better. Trammer and his team used social media town halls, leadership transparency, and a “Chick-fil-A of policing” philosophy to connect with values-driven recruits.

• Roll call as a leadership tool. Don’t waste it on emails. Use it for micro-training moments, video debriefs, and values reinforcement.

“We’re not there yet — but we’re modeling our daily structure after the Ritz-Carlton lineup.”

• Stay interviews > exit interviews. Ask people what’s going right before they leave. Find out what’s working and double down.

• Love as a leadership standard.

  “I love my people. I don’t always like them — but love means I’ll always do what’s in their best interest.”

🧠 Instructor Development Segment: “Frontload Leadership”

Chief Trammer challenged law enforcement leaders to stop waiting until promotion to train leadership.

“You can’t cut hair without barber school. Why would we let someone lead people without leadership training?”

He shared his early struggles, candid feedback from his own 360 eval, and the mentor who changed his trajectory by handing him a copy of John Maxwell’s Developing the Leader Within You. That moment shaped Trammer’s future, fueling a leadership journey rooted in people-first values.

📚 Final Book Recommendation from Chief Trammer:

The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh

“It’s not about chasing wins — it’s about building a standard of excellence. Do that… and the wins follow.”

💬 Closing Thoughts

This episode embodied the best of ILEETA: practical insight, real leadership stories, and a deep sense of purpose in policing. As Chief Trammer said:

“You don’t have to be a trainer to attend ILEETA — if you lead, you train. This conference is for anyone who wants to influence others for the better.”

Submit your instructor proposal for 2026:

👉 https://www.ileeta.org/conference/

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