Different Badges, Different Worlds 

Exploring Law Enforcement Agency Values With The Three Lenses

by Marc Andonian, PhD

Most people talk about “law enforcement” as if it’s one unified system. 

In reality, ICE, CBP, municipal police, sheriffs, state troopers, federal agents, and special‑jurisdiction agencies operate from entirely different missions, value priorities, and ways of seeing the world. When we treat them as interchangeable, confusion is inevitable. When we understand their differences, clarity becomes possible.

Different Badges, Different Worlds introduces a simple, human framework for making sense of these differences. Drawing on the Three Lenses of value—systemic (structure), extrinsic (tasks), and intrinsic (people)—the book reveals why encounters feel so different depending on the badge in front of you, and why agencies sometimes appear to be in conflict even when everyone is doing their job.

Through accessible explanations, real‑world examples, and practical tools, this book helps readers reduce the expectation gap, interpret roles more accurately, and stay grounded in moments that often feel bigger than they are. It’s written with respect for law enforcement and with the goal of helping citizens navigate today’s complex landscape with more confidence and less confusion.

Introducing Different Badges, Different Worlds - Exploring Law Enforcement Agency Values Through the Three Lenses

Based on Nobel Prize-nominated philosopher Robert S. Hartman's science of value,  Different Badges, Different Worlds uses The Three Lenses framework to reveal how different law enforcement agencies approach their mission and goals, and how that can appear to us as observers, or when we have a law enforcement encounter. 

Here’s a parallel set of messaging crafted specifically for Different Badges, Different Worlds, mirroring the structure, tone, and rhythm of your Three Lenses content—just translated into the world of law‑enforcement agency differences.

🔍 The Intrinsic Lens: The Human Being Behind the Badge

How does this moment affect the people involved—as individuals, not roles?
This lens reminds us that every encounter involves two human beings navigating a moment shaped by stress, uncertainty, and interpretation. When citizens understand the intrinsic pressures officers carry—and officers recognize the intrinsic needs citizens bring—interactions become less personal, less reactive, and more grounded in shared humanity.

The Transformation: You learn to interpret tone, pacing, and posture without assuming intent, reducing unnecessary tension and preserving dignity on both sides of the encounter.

⚙️ The Extrinsic Lens: Tasks, Actions, and the Job to Be Done

What is the officer trying to accomplish in this moment?
This lens highlights the task‑driven nature of most law‑enforcement roles. Municipal officers resolve problems. State troopers protect system integrity. Federal agents execute mission‑specific objectives. Each role prioritizes different actions because each is built for different outcomes.

The Transformation: You begin to see the task in front of the officer—not just the behavior—allowing you to interpret the moment more accurately and stay oriented even when the encounter feels abrupt or unfamiliar.

📋 The Systemic Lens: Mission, Authority, and Structure

What rules, mandates, and value priorities shape this agency’s behavior?
This lens reveals why ICE, CBP, sheriffs, local police, and federal agents often appear to operate from entirely different worlds. Their missions, jurisdictions, and legal authorities are not interchangeable—and neither are their value priorities.

The Transformation: You gain clarity about why agencies behave differently, reducing the expectation gap that fuels confusion and helping you navigate encounters with steadier footing.

The Power of Trinocular Vision

When you learn to see through all three lenses at once—what Different Badges, Different Worlds calls trinocular vision for public encounters—the landscape changes. Misunderstandings shrink. Moments feel less personal. Agency differences stop looking like contradictions and start looking like value‑driven roles doing exactly what they were designed to do.

You discover clarity where confusion once lived—and confidence where uncertainty once took over.

About Marc Andonian, Ph.D.

Dr. Marc Andonian is Managing Partner of Meaningful Metrics, LLC, and a leading authority on applying formal axiology—the science of value—to real-world leadership challenges. With decades of experience in strategic consulting and coaching, he has helped executives, organizations, and families integrate dignity, results, and principles in their most critical decisions.

Background:

• Ph.D. extensive training in formal axiology through the Hartman Institute

• Certified provider of the Hartman Value Profile

• Strategic advisor to Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations

• Executive coach specializing in values-based leadership

• Speaker at conferences on ethics, leadership, and organizational development

Personal Mission:

"I believe our most important decisions should honor the full spectrum of human value. The Three Lenses framework emerged from years of watching brilliant people make choices they later regretted—not because they lacked intelligence or information, but because they lacked a systematic way to see the complete picture."

Special Offer for Readers:

As a reader of Different Badges, Different Worlds, Dr. Andonian offers access to the Hartman Value Profile assessment and personalized debrief at a significantly reduced cost. Visit: www.meaningfulmetrics.com/bookoffer

Contact for Speaking/Consulting:info@meaningfulmetrics.com

What You’ll Learn / Table of Contents Preview

Inside Different Badges, Different Worlds, You’ll Discover:

PART I: SEE THE LANDSCAPE CLEARLY – Understanding the Expectation Gap

• Why “law enforcement” is not one system but thousands of distinct agencies
• How value priorities shape officer behavior long before an encounter begins
• Why citizens and officers often interpret the same moment differently
• The Expectation Gap: how mismatched lenses create tension, confusion, and misread signals

PART II: KNOW THE ROLES – How Different Agencies See the World

• The value signatures of municipal police, sheriffs, state troopers, and federal agents
• Why ICE, CBP, and local agencies often appear to be in conflict
• How missions, mandates, and environments shape officer priorities
• The Three Lenses in action across real‑world agency examples

PART III: NAVIGATE THE MOMENT – Staying Grounded in Real Encounters

• How to interpret tone, pacing, and posture without personalizing them
• What officers are actually trying to accomplish in common encounters
• How to stay oriented when the moment feels big or fast
• Practical ways to reduce misunderstanding and maintain your own grounding

PART IV: LIVE THE LENSES – Bringing Clarity to Everyday Life

• How to read the role in front of you before you react
• Using trinocular vision to understand high‑stress moments
• How to see the moment beneath the moment—structure, task, and humanity
• Applying the Three Lenses beyond encounters to daily interactions and civic life

Practical Tools You’ll Master:

• The Role‑Reading Method for identifying an agency’s value priorities
• The Expectation Gap Map for understanding why moments feel tense
• The Encounter Arc for staying grounded from first contact to resolution
• The Trinocular Moment Check for interpreting behavior accurately
• Wondering Questions that help you stay curious, calm, and connected

Different Badges, Different Worlds Is Perfect For:

🎯 Community Members Who Want Clarity, Not Conflict
Everyday citizens who want to understand why ICE, CBP, local police, sheriffs, and federal agents often seem to operate from different playbooks—and how to navigate those differences with confidence.

🏠 Families Seeking to Feel Safer and More Informed
Parents, teens, and caregivers who want practical, non‑political guidance for staying grounded during encounters and interpreting officer behavior without fear or guesswork.

💼 Professionals Working at the Intersection of People and Systems
Educators, social workers, counselors, and community‑facing professionals who need a clear framework for helping others understand law‑enforcement roles, expectations, and value priorities.

🏛️ Civic and Community Leaders Bridging Divides
Local officials, nonprofit leaders, faith communities, and organizers striving to reduce tension, build trust, and foster more constructive dialogue between agencies and the public.

🤝 Anyone Who Has Ever Felt Confused in an Encounter
Individuals who’ve walked away from a moment thinking “What just happened?” and want a grounded, human way to interpret the structure, task, and humanity behind the badge.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)