Danny McGuire: Calumet College of St Joseph Department Chair & Assistant Professor

One of the most powerful tools the world has ever seen sits at the end of our fingertips.  It is access to all of the accumulated knowledge of humankind. It sits in most people's hands every day for longer than it should.  Before this, we had to rely on the media, academics, clergy, and others, whose responsibility was to capture, preserve, and pass along the lessons from this knowledge.  

For example, after my recent interview with today’s guest on The Coptimizer Podcast, Dr. Danny McGuire, I mused about the old saying, “If you can’t beat 'em, join 'em!”  My day used this expression from time to time.  So, the question hit me: what are the roots of this expression, and what does it really mean?  I received my answer in a shorter time than it took me to type the question.

The phrase appears in Quentin Reynolds' book The Wounded Don't Cry, about life in London during World War II. The phrase doesn't mean surrendering but using the other side's tactics.

Thanks, Google, and I’ll take you at your word that this is accurate, at least for today’s purpose.  

Danny McGuire is a medically retired Cop from Cook County and the City of Chicago.  He worked a variety of roles over his twenty-two years in policing, including MEG (Long Term Narcotics Investigations and SWAT.  His goal was to become a Chief of Police someday, but an injury to his shooting hand changed his trajectory.  Instead, he went on pension and pivoted.

Like many cops, Danny has seen a few things over his years in policing.  Like many cops, he was shaped by his father, a retired police officer from Chicago and a Vietnam Veteran.  Like many cops, he battled emotions and life on the job with unhealthy coping mechanisms, in his case, alcohol. But this is where the story takes a turn.

Instead of fighting the system, in a sense, Danny joined it.  How?  He leaned into the things he needed to.  He sought out education, both formal and informal, and he has not stopped learning since.  He is now a highly educated Professor, teaching law enforcement and public safety.  A career in policing can teach officers a lot of good things about leadership, but it can also show you the bad.  Danny credits having a solid mentor with helping him understand the difference and set a course that would lead him to serve others beyond the badge.  

In a world replete with experts who have never been there, Danny is a breath of fresh air.  He has walked the beat and understands the pressures facing today’s police officers and leaders.  His academic approach is officer and leader-centric, emphasizing servant leadership principles with a level of compassion and understanding few academics will ever have.  

So, get a front-row seat in The Coptimizer classroom today for an excellent lecture on perseverance and resilience, courtesy of Dr. Danny McGuire. 

You can watch this podcast on our YouTube channel by clicking here.