CJ 146 Officer Survival Mindset

Lecture Hours: 3
Credits: 3

Provides the student with a historical review of issues and scenarios related to officer survival and insight from lessons learned. Introduces the common mistakes in decision-making during contacts and the mindset needed when responding to potentially violent encounters. Describes the survival mindset while at work and home and the way to not only survive nut thrive as a criminal justice professional in all aspects of life. Discusses how to gain the skills, mindset, and the courageous spirit needed for the proper Officer Survival Mindset.

Corequisite: CJ 103 with criminal history clearance; or current professional in the field; or consent of instructor.
Recommended: CJ 110, CJ 112, or CJ 130. (Courses must be completed with a grade of C or better.)

Student Learning Outcomes:

Describe the officer’s perception of danger or risk through review of past and present incidents.
Identify the functions of the brain during an emergency, including intuition and the role that fear plays in decision-making.
Discuss new techniques and pathways to prepare for, and effectively manage, a confrontational situation.
Define and identify the characteristics of a courageous spirit.
Identify the key elements necessary for developing and maintaining an individual’s peak physical and mental performance.
Define and identify stress inoculation and realistic training principles.
Identify the physiological factors involved in a critical incident.
Identify elements involved in the “aftermath” of a critical incident, including media, community, co-workers, PTSD, and survivor’s guilt.

Content Outline

Historical and Current Practices Review
- Historical Lessons Learned
- Current Practices, Tactics, and Equipment
The Physiology of Combat
- Sympathetic (SNS) and Parasympathetic (PNS) Nervous Systems
- Motor Skills
- Cognitive Reaction
- Perceptual Distortions
Warrior Skill Building
- The Basics (Diet, Exercise, Sleep)
- Training Principles
- Stress Inoculation
- Understanding Yourself
Warrior Survival
- Reality Check
- Stress Reduction Techniques
- Hypervigilance Survival/Professional
- Hypervigilance Survival/Private