Situational Awareness in Law Enforcement

Policing is recognized as one of the most stressful and dangerous professions globally. The job is arduous and requires significant effort, physical energy, emotional resilience, and mental or cognitive resources. Nevertheless, every year, thousands of brave men and women put their lives at risk daily to serve and protect vulnerable and disenfranchised community members. Most trades do not carry the risk of “death” as a part of the job’s nature, but when a police officer takes the oath to serve and protect, it carries a risk of being killed in the line of duty. The risk of death or severe injury is accepted knowingly by these officers, and the acceptance of that risk speaks to their courage and bravery. Sadly, in 2019, 89 U.S. law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. Of those, 48 officers were killed while conducting investigative or law enforcement functions, during tactical situations, during an unprovoked attack, while responding to a crime in progress or disturbance, while attempting to restrain a suspect following a vehicular pursuit and being ambushed, or while serving a court order.