The Psychology of Contact -
Law enforcement officers must, by the very nature of the job, prepare themselves for physical contact with people. These include victims, witnesses, injured subjects, the mentally ill, and arrested persons. Not every contact will result in an assault or involve hands-on contact. Officers have an opportunity to set the stage for most contacts within moments of their arrival on-scene. Often, an officer's subtle actions, demeanor, or bearing will dictate whether a physical confrontation will take place. Officers who become involved in physical contact situations may find themselves the victims of instantaneous, aggressive, and unanticipated physical attack.
Generally, officers are subjected to increased levels of stress whenever they contact a subject. Stress generally manifests itself in three stages in the human body. The alarm-reaction stage, often called the "fight or flight" syndrome, occurs when the mind perceives an "emergency." Heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline secretion increase. As the situation continues, the resistance stage sets in. The officer's body attempts to adjust to the prolonged exposure to stressful situations while returning to "normal." The exhaustion stage comes about because of the body's effort to manage the first two stages. In the final stage, the body continues to respond, however, coping mechanisms begin to fail.
Mental and physical preparation may help to manage stressful situations. An officer must consider potential threats, escape routes, terrain, weapons and so on. Perception-reaction time becomes extremely important. An officer must analyze the level of a threat and then respond with the appropriate amount of force.
Bruce K. Siddle postulates in his 1995 publication sharpening the Warrior’s Edge that an officer's reaction time increases as the heart rate increases. Officers may experience "mental stalls." If they are not paying attention and do not perceive the threat or if they are unable to distinguish a threat exists, perception and analysis are affected. If they misinterpret the level of a threat or if they do not have the experience or mental framework to develop a response to the threat, evaluation and formulation are affected. Survival reaction time has variables that are more extreme. Perceptual narrowing occurs, information processing slows, and response selection is delayed. Officers report tunnel vision, auditory exclusion, and misinterpreting visual cues. This begins a negative spiral that may lead to hyper vigilance (freezing) or incorrect response selections.
Police academy and in-service instructors teach officers that their responses to deadly force situations in "real life" will often mirror those practiced during training. Siddle's research indicates many law enforcement classes take place in a low or moderate stress environment. These environments do not and cannot always elicit survival reaction time responses. The fight or flight response may not be evoked or, if it is, the level may be extremely low.
Successful physical contact in training situations is not so easily measured. Most people who encounter law enforcement are simply in need of police assistance, direction or aid. Unfortunately, it is often impossible to distinguish between a compliant person and one intending to attack and assault an officer. Moreover, some contacts begin as "assistance" and quickly digress into an "attack" aimed at an officer.
There is no "crystal ball" which an officer can use to distinguish between the two. As a result, officers must rely on, among other things, a combination of individual skills and training. Training involves not only formal classroom instruction but constant self-evaluation and critique. Officers must challenge themselves to find better innovative ways to enhance tactics.
Planning begins with a regular physical fitness program, proper diet, regular sleep, current knowledge of approved techniques and case law, etc. Planning culminates with daily equipment checks, attention to duty, visualization exercises and so on. Execution involves good officer safety tactics, coordination, communication, and control. It is imperative that officers be disciplined in their training regime but remain flexible. Most physical contact enforcement situations are fluid and ever-changing. Officers should pay particular attention to verbal skills. Communication is an integral part of the physical contact equation. Any situation that can be resolved through verbal communication is certainly better than one which is only resolved after a fight. To be effective, officers must watch for non-verbal cues to aid them in their approach to problem resolution.
A subject who rapidly clenches and unclenches his fists might be exhibiting signs of increasing agitation. A skilled officer will use these non-verbal cues to structure his verbal responses. An officer must consider the personal physical and emotional changes involved as a survival reaction time scenario begins to unfold. Respiration control, threat assessment, evaluation, and decisive thinking are all examples of tasks an officer should remain cognizant of. Amidst all of this, an officer must respond within the law and department policy to protect her life and others. This is no easy task. Officers should use every training opportunity presented to them to better develop these skills. Law enforcement bulletins are filled with examples of successes and failures in this arena. Whenever an officer makes close physical contact, goes hands-on, an officer must be prepared for the unknown. Pre-planning, education, quality training, assessment, tactics execution, and a will to survive may help make your encounter a success story.
Things to Remember -
1. Prior to entering a situation plan.
2. Have a contingency plan.
3. Avoid a one-on-one situation, there is superiority in numbers.
4. Make it Harder for the subject to hurt you.
5. Identify yourself.
6. Only one officer should give commands and directions.
7. Be Assertive.
8. Issue simple commands.
9. Use professional language.
10. Escalate your level of force QUICKLY when needed.
11. De-escalate force as necessary.
12. Think of safety and use control when utilizing any Defensive Technique.
13. When you decide to act, Move quickly. (Violence of action is the key.)
14. Demand immediate compliance.
15. Don't get distracted
16. Never Relax
17. Do Not Over-Rely upon your OC Weapon.
18. Do Not prematurely pull or display your OC weapon.
19. Maintain the forward momentum of the arrest process, if appropriate.
20. Do Not grant personal privileges to individuals.
21. Do Not: Engage in, debate or arguments with a subject during an altercation.
22. Handcuff and control the subject prior to searching, if possible.
23. Once in control, ask the subject and/or yourself -
Does he/she have any weapons?
Does he/she have a partner/accomplice?
Do I still have my OC weapon?
Do I have help coming?
Do I need any medical response for the subject or myself!
24. Be Professional.
Stay Alive...!!
Law enforcement officers must, by the very nature of the job, prepare themselves for physical contact with people. These include victims, witnesses, injured subjects, the mentally ill, and arrested persons. Not every contact will result in an assault or involve hands-on contact. Officers have an opportunity to set the stage for most contacts within moments of their arrival on-scene. Often, an officer's subtle actions, demeanor, or bearing will dictate whether a physical confrontation will take place. Officers who become involved in physical contact situations may find themselves the victims of instantaneous, aggressive, and unanticipated physical attack.
Generally, officers are subjected to increased levels of stress whenever they contact a subject. Stress generally manifests itself in three stages in the human body. The alarm-reaction stage, often called the "fight or flight" syndrome, occurs when the mind perceives an "emergency." Heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline secretion increase. As the situation continues, the resistance stage sets in. The officer's body attempts to adjust to the prolonged exposure to stressful situations while returning to "normal." The exhaustion stage comes about because of the body's effort to manage the first two stages. In the final stage, the body continues to respond, however, coping mechanisms begin to fail.
Mental and physical preparation may help to manage stressful situations. An officer must consider potential threats, escape routes, terrain, weapons and so on. Perception-reaction time becomes extremely important. An officer must analyze the level of a threat and then respond with the appropriate amount of force.
Bruce K. Siddle postulates in his 1995 publication sharpening the Warrior’s Edge that an officer's reaction time increases as the heart rate increases. Officers may experience "mental stalls." If they are not paying attention and do not perceive the threat or if they are unable to distinguish a threat exists, perception and analysis are affected. If they misinterpret the level of a threat or if they do not have the experience or mental framework to develop a response to the threat, evaluation and formulation are affected. Survival reaction time has variables that are more extreme. Perceptual narrowing occurs, information processing slows, and response selection is delayed. Officers report tunnel vision, auditory exclusion, and misinterpreting visual cues. This begins a negative spiral that may lead to hyper vigilance (freezing) or incorrect response selections.
Police academy and in-service instructors teach officers that their responses to deadly force situations in "real life" will often mirror those practiced during training. Siddle's research indicates many law enforcement classes take place in a low or moderate stress environment. These environments do not and cannot always elicit survival reaction time responses. The fight or flight response may not be evoked or, if it is, the level may be extremely low.
Successful physical contact in training situations is not so easily measured. Most people who encounter law enforcement are simply in need of police assistance, direction or aid. Unfortunately, it is often impossible to distinguish between a compliant person and one intending to attack and assault an officer. Moreover, some contacts begin as "assistance" and quickly digress into an "attack" aimed at an officer.
There is no "crystal ball" which an officer can use to distinguish between the two. As a result, officers must rely on, among other things, a combination of individual skills and training. Training involves not only formal classroom instruction but constant self-evaluation and critique. Officers must challenge themselves to find better innovative ways to enhance tactics.
Planning begins with a regular physical fitness program, proper diet, regular sleep, current knowledge of approved techniques and case law, etc. Planning culminates with daily equipment checks, attention to duty, visualization exercises and so on. Execution involves good officer safety tactics, coordination, communication, and control. It is imperative that officers be disciplined in their training regime but remain flexible. Most physical contact enforcement situations are fluid and ever-changing. Officers should pay particular attention to verbal skills. Communication is an integral part of the physical contact equation. Any situation that can be resolved through verbal communication is certainly better than one which is only resolved after a fight. To be effective, officers must watch for non-verbal cues to aid them in their approach to problem resolution.
A subject who rapidly clenches and unclenches his fists might be exhibiting signs of increasing agitation. A skilled officer will use these non-verbal cues to structure his verbal responses. An officer must consider the personal physical and emotional changes involved as a survival reaction time scenario begins to unfold. Respiration control, threat assessment, evaluation, and decisive thinking are all examples of tasks an officer should remain cognizant of. Amidst all of this, an officer must respond within the law and department policy to protect her life and others. This is no easy task. Officers should use every training opportunity presented to them to better develop these skills. Law enforcement bulletins are filled with examples of successes and failures in this arena. Whenever an officer makes close physical contact, goes hands-on, an officer must be prepared for the unknown. Pre-planning, education, quality training, assessment, tactics execution, and a will to survive may help make your encounter a success story.
Things to Remember -
1. Prior to entering a situation plan.
2. Have a contingency plan.
3. Avoid a one-on-one situation, there is superiority in numbers.
4. Make it Harder for the subject to hurt you.
5. Identify yourself.
6. Only one officer should give commands and directions.
7. Be Assertive.
8. Issue simple commands.
9. Use professional language.
10. Escalate your level of force QUICKLY when needed.
11. De-escalate force as necessary.
12. Think of safety and use control when utilizing any Defensive Technique.
13. When you decide to act, Move quickly. (Violence of action is the key.)
14. Demand immediate compliance.
15. Don't get distracted
16. Never Relax
17. Do Not Over-Rely upon your OC Weapon.
18. Do Not prematurely pull or display your OC weapon.
19. Maintain the forward momentum of the arrest process, if appropriate.
20. Do Not grant personal privileges to individuals.
21. Do Not: Engage in, debate or arguments with a subject during an altercation.
22. Handcuff and control the subject prior to searching, if possible.
23. Once in control, ask the subject and/or yourself -
Does he/she have any weapons?
Does he/she have a partner/accomplice?
Do I still have my OC weapon?
Do I have help coming?
Do I need any medical response for the subject or myself!
24. Be Professional.
Stay Alive...!!