Law enforcement officers routinely respond to situations with intense emotion and a high potential for negative outcomes. Officer mindset and awareness is critical to the best outcomes for them and the humans they encounter. Achieving these best outcomes for the community and the Officer is dependent on optimal identification and response to trauma signals.
A general understanding of the prevalence and impact of trauma among suspects, victims, and community members can help us to communicate better and achieve more successful results. The Officer’s empathy, compassion, and self-awareness can all be factors in their assessment of the threats in the environment, their response judgments, and use-of-force decisions.
This session covers strategies to identify signs of distress, interact with those experiencing a trauma response, and maintain our own equilibrium in high-stress situations. Officer Wellness impacts threat assessment and response. Some basics on lifestyle choices impacting your Wellness including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction will be covered.