DENIAL:
In his article “On Sheep..”, Dave Grossman talks about
denial:
“It is denial that turns people into sheep. Sheep are
psychologically destroyed by combat because their only defense is denial, which
is counterproductive and destructive, resulting in fear, helplessness and horror
when the wolf shows up. Denial kills
you twice. It kills you once, at your moment of truth when you are not
physically prepared: you didn't bring your gun, you didn't train. Your
only defense was wishful thinking. Hope is not a strategy. Denial kills you a second time because even if you do physically
survive, you are psychologically shattered by your fear helplessness and horror
at your moment of truth.”
How about DENIAL in law enforcement? Does Denial lead to
complacency in LEOs? So many “routine”
calls where people comply that you start to assume-compliance on every call. So
many boring shifts that you start to actually believe nothing will can go wrong?
Most citizens operate under the self-defense mechanism of denial because
it is scary to acknowledge the evil that is out there. It feels better; more comforting
to our subconscious to simply pretend that the bad stuff does not exist or that
it won’t happen to them. Out lizard
brain yearns for and demands comfort. LEOs are only human and can succumb to
the lure of the lizard brains desire for safety and comfort. But can’t comfort
also come from being prepared? By being vigilant?
It takes a conscious decision every morning to fight
complacency and the lure of denial. It takes effort to stay vigilant and to
always prepare. That is what being a professional is all about. Deciding to put
in the effort.
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