Get out the syllabus for your pre-service academy and do some calculations on how much time you commit to each of the following topics over the course of the academy:
- Criminal Law
- Provincial / State Statutes
- Use of Force Law and Policy
- Subject Control Tactics / Defensive Tactics
- Fitness
- Vehicle Stops
- Emergency Vehicle Operations
- Firearms
- Response to an Active Killer
- First aide
- Tactical Combat Casualty Care
- Dealing With the Mentally Ill
- Strategic / Crisis Communications
- Report Writing
- Other Areas of Policy
- Diversity Training
Now look at how much time is dedicated in the academy syllabus to critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving. In an ideal world you would be able to make a strong case that critical thinking, decision making and problem solving are woven into every one of the topics listed above. If that is actually the case in your academy, then I applaud you and the team that worked to design the curriculum. If that is not the case, then what can you do to begin to weave these critical skills into every element of training. We have an expectation that officers will be able to think critically, make decisions and solve problems out in the field so they can use everything we teach, yet we too often fail to teach these critical job skills at the academy level.
Now, have a long, hard look through the syllabus and identify how much time, if any, is dedicated to Mental Skills Training. Mental Skills Training includes, but is not limited to, topics such as mindset, imagery, self-talk, breath work and goal setting. Again, in an “ideal world” you could articulate and demonstrate where you teach these concepts and how you weave Mental Skills into everything that you teach. Very few academy trainers, if any, teach in an “ideal world”.
We can give people the best tools, tactics, and equipment in the world, but if the mind shuts down because we have failed to prepare them to perform under pressure, they may be unlikely to use those tools, tactics, and training.
In an interview on the Performing Under Pressure podcast sport and performance psychologist Tom Bates PhD make the statement, “It is difficult to have performance excellence without excellence in preparation.” Excellence in preparation needs to include training in critical thinking, problem solving, decision making and mental skills. We cannot ignore these critical areas or simply pay lip service to them and expect excellent performance under pressure. The heroic men and women in policing generally do a very good job in extremely complex and challenging situations. Just imagine how much better they could perform if we gave them the critical skills necessary to prepare their mind for where their body may have to go.
Take care.
Brian Willis
Winning Mind Training – Providing practical training to law enforcement professionals in the areas of instructor development, Performance Enhancement Imagery, leadership, and mindset.
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