4 Strategies for Law Enforcement to Prepare for the Unknown

A career in law enforcement comes with unknowns around every corner. The nature of the job requires meeting unpredictability on a daily basis. That unpredictability is compounded during states of emergency like the COVID-19 crisis. In this case, not everyone was prepared for a lockdown or economic shutdown – not even police.

While it might seem impossible, you can prepare for the unknown in a way that won’t take you off guard no matter what happens in the world. Here are 4 tips to get prepared for anything.

1. Choose the right firearm

Whether you’re on or off duty, you don’t want to be caught with the wrong firearm. Depending on where you serve, you can probably choose from a few different types of firearms like Sig Sauer, Glock, Beretta, and Smith & Wesson. If you haven’t already chosen Glock both professionally and personally, you should reconsider.

Glock is LE’s number one pistol for a reason. Glock pistols are not only durable and reliable, but they allow for more accuracy. The whole reason law enforcement switched to Glock was because of one shootout where police were outgunned by criminals with more effective firepower. Glock pistols gave police a much needed advantage.

There are plenty of reasons to love Glock pistols – even older models. The Glock 22, for example, was made to fire .40 ammunition, but can be converted to fire 9mm. The Glock 22 can also fire a variety of handgun ammunition and still perform at optimal levels.

The best thing about Glock is that they run a Blue Label program that gives law enforcement officers a hefty discount on firearms from qualified, participating retailers. Glocks aren’t cheap; some can cost more than $500. Authorized Blue Label program participants like Primary Arms in Texas make it easy for LE to get the right firearm at a sizeable discount.

2. Develop an easygoing mindset

Being rigid can serve a purpose when you need to stick to a routine and get things done, but it won’t serve anyone long-term. With a rigid mindset, you’re less likely to meet abrupt change with grace. Using the coronavirus pandemic as an example, when the world went into an economic shutdown, millions of people didn’t know what to do. They had routines that came to an abrupt halt and many had psychological breakdowns from the disruption.

As a law enforcement officer, you can’t afford to be shaken by a drastic change in your routine whether it’s in your personal or private life. By cultivating an easygoing mindset, you’re basically making yourself more amenable to change even when that change is disruptive.

When you can keep your cool in the midst of major disruption, you’ll be able to keep doing your job with a high level of effectiveness and integrity.

3. Get proper nutrition even if you require supplements

The importance of proper nutrition can’t be stressed enough. Getting nutrition and staying hydrated has a direct impact on your ability to do your job. A lack of vitamins and minerals can affect your mood in a negative way. When you’re malnourished, it’s easier to get frustrated and react rather than respond to people and situations.

If you can’t get time to eat a proper meal, make sure you’re supplementing with high-quality, whole food vitamins and minerals. The best way to supplement is to get a blood test to find out what your deficiencies are. You may find that you’re getting enough of all but three minerals. Find organic, whole food plant-based supplements for your deficiencies and don’t take anything your body doesn’t need.

4. Continue with de-escalation training

You can never have too much de-escalation training. Even professional hostage negotiators are constantly training and refining their skills. However, you can’t rely on your daily experiences to provide you with enough experience – you need actual training. Stress inoculation training is a great way to learn and practice de-escalation in a safe training environment.

De-escalation skills are the key to maintaining everyone’s safety, including your own. There are times when you won’t be able to de-escalate a situation, as not everyone is willing to cooperate. However, more training and experience could make a huge difference in a situation that is unlike anything you’ve encountered before.

Anything can happen – be prepared

The world can change in an instant. All it takes is one situation to create uncontrollable chaos. It’s easy to prepare physically, but make sure you prepare mentally as well. Don’t allow yourself to get caught with your psychological guard down. Your service is important.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/law-and-order/4-strategies-for-law-enforcement-to-prepare-for-the-unknown/