The Dark SIde of LE

[joe yang]

Most of the LE personel I've meet, involved in defensive tactics and the martial arts are pretty upbeat, constructive, well adjusted types. All that aside and in all seriousness, there is a whole lot of negative energy in this field. Do you ever feel it gets you down, watching peoples lives crumble, trying to help, make a difference, trying to stop it all, or just clean up the mess? How do you deal with it all? How does it effect your co-workers? How do they deal with it all? MA guys, does your training help?

[Kit LeBlanc]

I think I have definitely become more cynical. I have certainly been "down" on the job and considered quitting, but I'll have upswings where I feel that staying is worthwhile. You do have to avoid the negative nelly's (been there myself) because I think there is a tendency to get dragged down with them.

Training helps more for confidence and safety. I do honestly believe that I have avoided fights with suspects due to training....they either pick up on something in the body language, or when you first latch on and they decide they want no part of a scrap with you, or usually you can forestall assault situations because you see subtle cues developing before it happens and can act on that.

Training helps in mindset too, but you have to do a lot of evaluating and analyzing as to where and how it applies...it isn't usually a direct crossover.

[Todd Prosser]

The "getting dragged down" while watching others lives "crumble" is probably where many officers get complaints for their detached attitude. A safety valve that the public sometimes just can't understand, especially in this day and age of warm and fuzzy community policing.

I find that my attitude does go down when I slack off on my physical conditioning. Mental conditioning is a must, but everyone has their limits. Like Kit I have more than once really considered quitting, but I really enjoy and take pride in the work I do. This job has meaning, besides a paycheck. As long as I can measure up to my personal standards, I can deal with 'outside' negative influences.

As far as the officers with the negative attitudes... I listen to them so they can vent and hopefully feel better, but their negativity only hurts themselves and does nothing to improve our work.

My MA training is pretty limited, but an assertive presence does hinder many people from resisting. On the other hand, it sometimes is what the guy looking for a fight keys on and can target you for.. Which can be fun;)