Webster defines fear as an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. It is evident in the behavior of humans, particularly during stressful situations.

As a 30+ year member of the Pennsylvania State Police, I’ve witnessed many reactions of police officers during high-stress situations. Some approach stressful situations in a controlled manner. Others are often out of control.

As a major in the Pennsylvania State Police, I was the director of affirmative action/contract compliance. In that capacity, I joined a training task force for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, working with police departments and the Department of Corrections, addressing affirmative action and diversity issues related to hate crimes.

The initial focus was on understanding, managing, and valuing differences in law enforcement. The work brought people together in a cohesive working environment. There was a shift in how law enforcement interacted with the community, particularly those who differed from the norm. The era of community policing became center stage. Not everyone subscribed to that philosophy because of many differences and inadequate training and education.

The push for diversity and inclusion created confusion with law enforcement obsessed with a “lock them up” mentality, making it Us versus them. This in-group, outgroup philosophy is the most potent form of bias where the outgroup is viewed as less valued because of dehumanization. They are regarded as an adversary rather than cooperatives, creating a schism among law enforcement and making it okay to ignore their participation. This schism was evident when there was an increase in the shooting of unarmed black men. Because of their training, cultural programming, and life experiences, there were many attempts to justify behavior when these incidents occurred. The default position was the institution of “fear for my life” defense, whether real or imagined.

I recognized that this defense was also prevalent during high-stress situations. Having those scenes played out raises the question of the origin of the fear expressed by many officers. It is crucial to understand its source, which influences decision-making.

Fear is not an inborn trait. When an individual is born, they are devoid of fear. It begins when a significant event becomes the predicate for fear. That fear is grounded in some circumstances that impact the child. For example, a child cannot distinguish between hot and cold without having experienced either. Once there is an experience, the brain catalogs the information for further reference. The child learns critical behaviors that identify fear situations through imitation or emulation. Life experiences will add to or minimize the impact of their fears.

When the child reaches adulthood, there is a storehouse of information in the brain related to instances of fear, trust, and manifestation. It includes personal experiences or secondhand exposure. Social media has a considerable impact, mainly focusing on in-group and outgroup areas. It’s akin to operating a computer system where data is stored. Data in the brain lies dormant until an outside stimulus taps into that previous knowledge. To access data, a keystroke must be initiated. When that keystroke is engaged, it taps into the information stored in the brain, reminding us of the previous data stored and how it relates to the present situation.

If the external stimulus is consistent with the original imputation of the data, the reaction to the event will be compatible with the initial input. However, the behavior will significantly differ when the stimuli are less severe than the original action. For example, a dog bites a young child, his first introduction to fear. Whenever the individual encounters what he believes to be a vicious dog, the subsequent behavior will be consistent with the initial reaction. If, however, there are subsequent encounters with a gentler animal, the behavior will be different.

How does this relate to law enforcement.? When officers come from a homogeneous environment where diversity is not the norm, societal fear is absent. When introduced to a multicultural environment, any worries, uncertainties, or biases will rear their ugly head when encountering someone different. The human senses will immediately engage the brain, allowing them to play the embedded story. The fear will be ever-present if the story is congruent with previous encounters, knowledge, or associations. Officer safety is impacted by how they manage the fear. If the environment that produced the fear remains the same, it will be hardwired into the office’s psyche, which will be their story.

Human beings psychologically create a story connected with the event from the initial encounter. We select facts or experiences from the initial event to bolster our story; for example, the vicious dog attacked me. After I interject these facts, I add meaning or questionable assumptions and conclude that whenever I see a dog, I perceive it as vicious and may be attacked. As a result, my emotional antenna is continually operating, and my behavior will be consistent with that fear, reinforcing my fear bias about dogs.

Understanding the necessity of changing the story is the first step to restoring civility for the officer. Changing the environment and circumstances where there is a reinforcement of positive behaviors enables the officer to see another perspective impacting their story. The story will change when a corresponding positive influence negates the bombardment of negative stimuli.

Consequently, organizations must examine their programs, especially multicultural education and training. It is essential to understand the origin of fear, its prevalence, impact, and coping mechanisms to address the fears, particularly the impact of in-group and outgroup experiences.

Officer safety will be significantly enhanced when officers understand the psychological impact of their encounters with the community. The success will depend on the officer’s ability to change the story that impacts the decision-making. When they can empathize, it sets the stage for employing compassion, critical for positive police interactions, particularly in a multicultural situation. The desired outcome is to ensure a halt in the shooting of unarmed black men while at the same time ensuring that no officer is gunned down needlessly because of fear.