Is it dangerous to tell cops how dangerous their job is?

Given the tragedy in Dallas, it is no wonder there has been an increase in internet posts about police officers, “just wanting to make it home at the end of their shift” or how, “in their job, tomorrow isn’t a guarantee”? After a shooting like this, it is natural for us to want to comfort those who suffered. We should celebrate Police Officers and their work. However, stories hyping the dangerous nature of their job do a disservice to society at large. It creates a mindset within the police community that negatively impacts how officers see and do their job.

Think of an abused spouse; someone who is loudly and consistently told that they are stupid, ugly, and no one else would want them. No matter how strong their self-esteem, no matter the facts, eventually the person starts questioning their own worth. They start believing the lies that they are being told

Similarly, when we constantly tell Peace Officers that their main goal should be, “to make it home at the end of your shift,” we are not so subtly sending them the message that their job is uber-dangerous; that every interaction with the public could be their last. Naturally, they start to view the public as their enemy. They start believing that they are always one second away from death. This belief impacts their reactions to critical situations. Before we send that message, it might be useful to question whether or not the narrative is even true.

Statistically, Time magazine found that police work was the 15th most dangerous job (in terms of likelihood of getting killed on the job)[1]. There are 14 other occupations that are more deadly. Strangely, you don’t hear loggers and fisherman saying that their goal each day is simply to make it home at night.

This is not to say that I begrudge a little hyperbole in order to acknowledge that theirs is a difficult, and often-thankless job. While a sanitation worker may be more likely to be killed “in the line of duty,” somehow an accidental death is different from knowingly putting yourself on the front lines. So, it is not the sentiment itself that is concerning. The problem with the, “just make it home at night” narrative, is that it has a pernicious effect on police interactions and can lead to tragedies.

Once an officer internalizes this belief, once he thinks that his job is more dangerous than it really is, he is much more likely to over-react. He is unwilling to take an extra half second to analyze a situation because he truly believes that a half-second’s reflection might cost him his life. Unfortunately, that belief could cost me my life, or you yours.

Further, the belief that the job is inherently deadly leads to an “us versus them” mentality in a job which is already becoming more and more militarized. Do we really want our police officers to see themselves as “against” anything?

The shooting in Dallas not withstanding, as a society, we would be better off reinforcing the notion that while the job can be dangerous; it isn’t particularly likely to be thus. Sure, a police officer might not make it home tonight, but that is also true of the airline pilot and the farmer. In fact, it is true of everyone who is currently alive. None of us are promised tomorrow, but we aren’t constantly reminded of that fact before every shift. Just because there is a slight chance something can happen, does not mean that it is likely to happen. It certainly does not mean one should structure every encounter around the possibility.

Yes, an officer could get shot by the driver of the car they just pulled over, but it isn’t likely to happen. When we encourage the officer to fear for his life, we are setting the stage for tragedy. As a society, the question we want our officers asking at the beginning of their shift is, “how can I make my community better?” Not, “how can I ensure that I make it home tonight?”

While we are discussing what we want from our police officers, it is worth considering a story that appeared in the New York Times on September 9th, 1999. The article reported that a federal judge had ruled it okay for a police department to bar individuals with high IQs from becoming police officers.[2] Consider the implications of that story, and what it says about our society.

Ostensibly the reason for this bar is that smarter people are more likely to get bored with the work, which could lead to high turnover. Cynics, however, argue that the real reason for the rule is that Police Departments want officers who will follow rules unquestioningly. Less intelligent officers are likely to go strictly by the book rather than using personal discretion in situations that are not clear-cut. By way of example, consider the officers that arrested a man speeding his pregnant wife to the hospital because he failed to pull over immediately when told to do so[3].

Complex thinking could help ensure that instead of reacting out of fear, officers would first examine the situation completely. We should desire officers who can use good judgment and common sense. We should want officers who understand statistics, and who realize that situations are not always cut and dry. These traits should be celebrated in our police; instead they are a bar to entry!

[1] Johnson, David, “The Most Dangerous Jobs in America” Time Magazine. May 13th, 2016. Online: http://time.com/4326676/dangerous-jobs-america/

[2] http://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/09/nyregion/metro-news-briefs-connecticut-judge-rules-that-police-can-bar-high-iq-scores.html

[3] http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Dashcam-Video-Shows-Arrest-of-Man-Driving-Wife-to-Hospital-to-Give-Birth-330179971.html