About this episode

Colonel Orlando Lilly discusses his experiences and insights on leadership in law enforcement with host Dominick Watters.

Colonel Orlando Lilly — head of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police and 32-year law enforcement veteran — sits down with host Dominick Watters for a direct, detailed conversation on the realities of leadership in public safety. The episode begins where his career did: a 1979 hospital room, a box cutter wound that nearly killed a 10-year-old boy, and a police officer who showed up and cried. That moment of vulnerability from a stranger in uniform permanently shaped how Col. Lilly understands command, service, and purpose. Topics include the five levels of leadership in a law enforcement context, emotional intelligence as a career skill, navigating race and institutional bias in policing, the difference between relational and transactional leadership on the street, and a framework for decision-making under pressure. He also addresses mentorship, critical incident preparedness, and the specific books and training programs that shaped his development. Practical, direct, and grounded in 32 years of real experience.

People in this episode

Host: Dominick Watters

Guest: Colonel Orlando Lilly

Topics covered

• leadership in public safety
• emotional intelligence
• mentorship
• decision-making under pressure
• institutional bias in policing
• relational vs transactional leadership

Keywords

• leadership
• public safety
• emotional intelligence
• mentorship
• policing
• decision-making
• institutional bias

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police

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