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Summary Of Emotional Survival For Law Enforcement

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The “Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement” by Dr. Kevin M. Gilmartin is one of the most engaging and profound analyses of the officers’ job-related psychological issues. Despite that, Gilmartin, a behavioral scientist with a Ph.D. degree and a police officer by background, can be considered the most perspective-oriented interlocutor since he is both a scientist and a professional. The story’s major trend is that the enforcement career can be very demanding and results in increased cynicism, emotional isolation, and early burnout. The “Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement” series describes the various psychological challenges law enforcers face and how they affect their careers. The author paints a clear picture of what happens to law enforcers …show more content…

Gilmartin highlights the difficulties law enforcers and their families go through by discussing stages of hypervigilance. He notes, “Officers must learn to perceive the world as potentially hazardous in order to survive the streets” (Gilmartin, 2002). He believes that officers should develop hypervigilance since it is crucial to promoting safety. Emotional survival is a crucial part of law enforcement since it helps them deal with emotional breakdowns and depression. It is to the book’s credit that it lays bare unpleasant realities such as the ‘hypervigilance biological rollercoaster’. Gilmartin elaborates that those officers who are on the lookout for trouble during the shift feel drained off when they are off the shift (Gilmartin, 2002). This brings about negative thinking cycles that can cause emotional blunting and problems in interpersonal relations, hence loneliness. Gilmartin recognizes the challenges law enforcers have to face by offering them the best solution to lead a life free of stressors. Although stressors tend to happen to everyone, law enforcers are at high risk, and this may affect their work and family life. There is no doubt that emotional survival is vital for overcoming challenges faced by law

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