Goodbye 2020: Don’t Let the Door Hit You in the Butt
Why do we ask cops to stay on the job for decades when many are done in one? 2020 had such a nice sound, so round it rolled right off the tongue. What a metaphor of hope, twenty-twenty vision, the ability to see perfectly without wearing glasses. So much for happy...
Stinking Thinking: How Our Thoughts Determine How We Feel
In police work, thinking the worst can make the job safer and your life harder. “My mind's got a mind of its own It takes me out a-walkin' when I'd rather stay at home Takes me out to parties when I'd rather be alone My mind's got a mind of its own." Music and lyrics...
Calling All Cops: Do You Know Who Has Your Back?
Wisdom from a pioneer cop about connecting to your family during hard times. Dr. Al Benner was a retired police captain, a pioneer in police psychology, co-founder of the West Coast Trauma Retreat for first responders with traumatic stress, and a mentor to many “cop...
Police, Protests, and the Pandemic
Is this the right time to talk to cops about optimism? I recently attended a virtual meeting of Division 18 of the American Psychological Association titled "Current Issues in Police and Public Safety Psychology." There was a range of presentations, all grounded in...
Police, Protests, and the Killing of George Floyd
A police psychologist's 9 ideas for change in these turbulent times. This has been a tough week for me personally. I’ve been fielding calls from friends, relatives, and news outlets. They want to know if I can explain police behavior. They point to the egregious,...
Social Distancing? Not If You’re a Cop: Part 2
I have been a student of Buddhism for more than a decade. It’s been personally useful and has influenced the way I practice psychology. Just this morning, I was reading from The Issue at Hand, Essays on Buddhist Mindfulness Practice by my teacher, Gil Fronsdal. The...