I authored a paper for a class I took on the interaction of stress on brain functioning among police officers. It was an awesome class taught by a physician Sabina Berretta, MD from McLean Hospital in Boston. Severe threat responses that are extended or frequently repeated can significantly raise the risk for physical and mental health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and anxiety disorders. “Although resilience — the ability to cope during and recover from stressful situations — is a common term, used in many contexts, we found that no research had been done to scientifically understand what resilience is among police.” as published in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette Magazine in 2017. Law Enforcement officers have a unique role among first responders in that they often have little time between calls for service. They face repeated stress, work in unpredictable and time-sensitive situations, and must act in accordance with the specific provincial and departmental policies according to RCMP documents. Police everywhere are faced with this reality. Some might argue policework is comprised of hours of boredom coupled with moments of extreme stress and shere terror from exposure to traumatic scenes and experience. The juxtaposition of these changing scenarios bespeaks the career challenges faced by cops from small towns to urban cities.

LEO’s experience wide ranging physical conditions from hour to hour during their appointed shift work. In a study by Andersen et al. designed through looking at realistic training scenarios this variability came to life. HRs rose significantly with potential encounters from an average resting rate of eighty-two beats per minute upward to 130-140 bpm or more during high stress calls. For example, Anderson reported the following HR averages for a variety of police actions: hand on gun, no suspect (134 bpm); holster snap open, no suspect present (131 bpm); hand on gun, suspect present (134 bpm); holster snap open, suspect present (131 bpm); talking to suspect (134 bpm) (Anderson et al., 2002)”. Research shows that there is no evidence-based replacement for reality-based training. In a study comparing technology-delivered training with reality-based training and active-duty encounters, the data found that technology-delivered training didn’t mimic or prepare officers for real-world encounters as did reality-based training, according to her study Judith Andersen at University of Toronto, Canada. The management of autonomic arousal is illustrated in data obtained from officers with excessive HR given that research has shown that when HR exceeds 170 BPM, perceptual distortions (e.g., tunnel vision, auditory exclusion), freezing, and possible irrational behavior are highly likely to occur (Siddle, 1995). Siddle focuses much of his writing on having a warrior mentality and remaining focused. Autonomic systems in the body sustain us for short periods when there are threats present. The fight-flight response activates us for battle in the presence of fear, threat, and unseen danger. We need officers to be prepared when under threat. When these threats are no longer present the parasympathetic system needs to put the brakes on our runaway stress response. The problem lies in cases where the fight-flight system becomes unmodulated and chronically on guard. The body reacts to reality-based training by allowing for automatic changes in heart rate, muscle tension, galvanic skin response, and respiratory rate to be ready when needed. Physical conditioning and healthy nutrition combine with stress hormones at times of high stress to aid us in battle. Similarly, it becomes essential that the burden be mitigated at the end of the day. Unless this can happen, officers may become cynical and lose resilience needed for a hardy career. In some cases, officers who are poorly regulated may become candidates for career burnout and questionable use of force.

Andersen, J.P., Pitel, M., Weerasinghe, A., & Papazoglou, K. (2016). Highly realistic scenario-based training simulates the psychophysiology of real-world use of force encounters: Implications for improved police Officer Performance. Journal of Law Enforcement.

Andersen, J.P., Pitel, M., Weerasinghe, A., & Papazoglou, K. (2016) http://www.jghcs.info (2161-0231 ONLINE) JOURNAL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, VOLUME 5, NUMBER 4- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299425632_Highly_Realistic_Scenario_Based_Training_Simulates_the_Psychophysiology_of_Real_World_Use_of_Force_Encounters_Implications_for_Improved_Police_Officer_Performance/link/56f5d19d08ae7c1fda2eec02/download taken 8-26-2022

Laur, D. (2014) The Anatomy of Fear and How It Relates To Survival Skills Training. Integrated Street Combatives. http://www.hptc-pro.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/The-Anatomy-Of-Fear-Laur.pdf, taken January 29, 2023.

Siddle, B. K. (1995). Sharpening the warrior’s edge: The psychology & science of training. Millstadt, IL: PPCT Research Publications.