How do I supervise coworkers who used to be my partners?

Last week they were your partners, and now you have to correct them. That is one of the most awkward turns in any job, and in police work it cuts deeper because the trust runs so tight. Feeling caught between the badge you earned and the friendships you value is normal. It does not mean you are not cut out for the stripes. The mistake most new supervisors make is either going soft to stay liked or going hard to prove they are in charge. Neither works. What earns respect is being fair, consistent, and honest. Your former partners do not need you to pretend nothing changed, and they do not need a stranger. They need the same person they trusted, now holding a standard evenly for everyone. When you have to correct someone, do it straight and private, respect intact: "I have got to hold this line, and that includes you." Most good officers will respect you more for being fair than they will resent you for the correction. Lead like the partner they trusted, just with a standard now, and the friendships that are worth keeping will hold.