| Police work is the forced evolution of your | | | | adrenalin-induced action. |
| perceptions of the human condition. Every moral | | | | The toll of maintaining this level of awareness can |
| code, belief and preconceived deal of socially | | | | be staggering to officers, but with experience |
| appropriate behavior will be assaulted, shaken and | | | | comes an ability to balance perspectives and |
| taken to the turf in a law enforcement career. | | | | accept the realities encountered. |
| Police work rattles your adrenalin cage, slaps you | | | | Police work is a daily parade of people in crisis. |
| in the face with raw reality and gives you 3 | | | | And every crisis is unique to the people involved, |
| seconds to make rational, informed-possibly | | | | but may be based on a conflict common to |
| life-or-death-decisions. | | | | many. One shift may include a dozen domestic |
| Imagine this: your work day is punctuated by | | | | disturbances, all caused by families in crisis, but all |
| having 20 tons of water dropped on | | | | unique due to the different individuals involved. |
| you-sometimes someone, or your intuition, shouts | | | | Experienced police officers accept that every |
| a warning, sometimes not. The water is a threat | | | | person encounters times of crisis in their lives and |
| to you, to those around you and to your fellow | | | | that most people are not accustomed to crisis |
| officers. It is inevitable and inescapable. You must | | | | and don't react well to it. Emotions can be |
| deal with it every day-every time it happens. | | | | excessive, responses out of character and |
| So...do you train to become strong enough to | | | | judgments impaired. The police officer becomes |
| drop to the ground and endure the water's | | | | the critical incident expert during those times of |
| onslaught? Do you train to become agile enough | | | | crisis. Their uniform, badge, weapons and vehicle |
| to leap out of harms way? | | | | are tools that reinforce this role, but their |
| Or, do you train yourself to become an arrow | | | | demeanor and actions establish their authority as |
| that pierces the water, splitting and deflecting its' | | | | a welcome reality within the unreality of the |
| power, while you remain steadfast and totally | | | | critical incident. |
| aware of it-even while surrounded by its' | | | | Officers are expected to know all the rules; |
| potentially lethal torrent? | | | | render fair, impartial judgments; rebuild realities |
| If your only need is to survive the deluge and | | | | and read minds. While others scream in agony, |
| continue on, any of these training options might | | | | reel in horror or become enraged-the officer must |
| be acceptable. But what if self-preservation was | | | | take actions that protect all, enforce the law and |
| only conditional? What if every work day | | | | resolve chaos. Regardless of personal injury or |
| centered on waiting for, and being prepared for, | | | | threat to life and limb, police officers are |
| the water? | | | | expected to perform their duties professionally |
| Waiting for, anticipating and reacting to the water. | | | | and without hesitation. |
| Ever ready, ever alert, ever prepared. | | | | The tragedy and human suffering that touch an |
| Police work demands being prepared to act-and | | | | officers' life takes a special fortitude of spirit and |
| that demand creates tremendous anticipation of | | | | mind to keep that touch from creating wounds in |
| action. You watch, you wait, you review action | | | | personal realities and personalities. In times of trial, |
| options. You listen, learn and wait some more. | | | | the camaraderie borne of this specialty fuses to |
| And eventually you see that anticipation of action | | | | become a bond that brings officers, and balance, |
| has to be controlled, regulated and educated-so it | | | | back-safe in body and sound of mind. |
| becomes a finely tuned and accurate trigger for | | | | |