Love/hate Relationship Police Officers and Criminals

Let’s be honest, there is no better example of a “love-hate relationship” than the daily interaction between street cops and their criminals. When things are going well, we like/love each other, when they’re not, tempers flare, attitudes change and people temporarily hate each other.

Officers spend their shift responding to crisis after crisis, but sometimes they get to hear or maybe even see the outcome of their actions. This is especially important in critical incidents.

police officers think their job is stressful, which it is, but  often fail to recognize the consistently high level of stress inside. Remember, no one calls “911” when things are going well, so every single communication coming in and going out of dispatch is some sort of crisis.

A good officer is highly aware that they are responsible for the clear, safe communication between them and the unknown, but 8, 10 or 12 hours of that atmosphere can get to even the best of officrs. A kind word, a “thank you,” and the recognition that things can get pretty crazy, both on and off the street, can go a long way toward easing the stress and improving criminal/cop relationships.