Law enforcement professionals often find themselves in challenging situations in which they encounter people who are displaying strong or volatile emotions. Although law enforcement professionals may seem tough on the outside, dealing with the demands of the job, day in and day out, can take its toll. For this reason, possessing high levels of emotional intelligence (EI) is extremely important in helping them stay safe and do their jobs well. This week, you will examine the concept of emotional intelligence, which is the ability to understand your own emotions and the emotions of the people with whom you interact.
Emotionally intelligent people can recognize their emotions, separate them, and manage them effectively. The primary component of EI is emotional awareness, which is the ability to understand your emotions and triggers. The second component is emotional management, which is the ability to manage your emotions and use them to effectively problem solve and think critically about situations. When you successfully manage your emotions, your behavior cannot get hijacked by them. The third component of EI is empathy, which is the ability to understand another person’s emotions. This does not mean that you have experienced the same emotions or situations as the other person, but that you are able to understand their emotions from what you see taking place in the situation.
There are several reasons why it is so important for law enforcement professionals to possess EI. For example, EI helps law enforcement professionals to stay calm in stressful situations. It also helps them to remove their own emotions from situations so that they can better deal with them in real time. Out-of-control emotions can get in the way of job performance in any field, but this is especially true in situations that are emotionally charged and potentially dangerous. EI also enables law enforcement professionals to better read crime scenes and pick up on cues from suspects and victims.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze EI competencies as they relate to law enforcement
Analyze EI strategies to support law enforcement training and development
Emotional Intelligence Training Model Presentation
Law enforcement professionals have a particularly stressful job and emotional intelligence (EI) can help them to manage their stress. Possessing a high level of EI enables law enforcement professionals to better pick up on cues from suspects and victims, to better read crime scenes and investigations, and to better problem solve and think critically. Most people have room to improve in terms of their EI, and law enforcement professionals are no exception. Training is crucial to help law enforcement professionals increase their EI.
For this Assignment, you will analyze EI competencies and the strategies used to support law enforcement training and development.
Note on licensure: The MS and PhD in Forensic Psychology programs are non-licensure programs. They do not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology professional; or to evaluate, do therapy with, or treat individuals in correctional or related settings. In addition, the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Committee on Accreditation (CoA) does not accredit master’s-level programs and only accredits doctoral programs in professional psychology (clinical, counseling, and school). If you have questions about licensure, please contact: psyclicensure@mail.waldenu.edu.
Disclaimer: Before you begin, a word of caution: This course contains content which may be disturbing and/or triggering. If you find yourself struggling with the content, you may want to reach out to Walden’s Student Assistance ProgramLinks to an external site., which offers students free and confidential counseling on a variety of personal and professional issues that may be affecting the quality of their learning experiences.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Required ReadingsFitch, B. D. (2009, August). Emotional intelligence: Practical advice for law enforcement officers. The Police Chief, 76(8), 104–106, 108, 111. https://tmctraining.net/wp-content/uploads/Article_PoliceChief-EI-Practical-Advice-for-Law-Officers-Ftich-2016.pdf
Note: This resource is seminal to the field.Kumarasamy, M. M., Pangil, F., & Isa, M. F. M. (2016). The effect of emotional intelligence on police officers’ work–life balance: The moderating role of organizational support. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 18(3), 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461355716647745
Credit Line: The Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Police Officers’ Work–life Balance: The Moderating Role of Organizational Support by Kumarasamy, M.; Pangil, F.; Isa, M., in International Journal of Police Science and Management, Vol. 18/ Issue 3. Copyright 2016 by SAGE Publications Ltd. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications Ltd. Via the Copyright Clearance Center. Licensed in 2023.Magny, O. (2022). Emotional intelligence and the future of police personnel. In J. A. Schafer & R. W. Myers (Eds.), Rethinking and reforming American policing (pp. 311–336). Palgrave MacMillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88896-1_13
Credit Line: Rethinking and Reforming American Policing, by Schafer, J.; Myers, R. Copyright 2022 by Springer International Publishing. Reprinted by permission of Springer International Publishing via the Copyright Clearance Center. Licensed in 2023.Niles, J. K., Dukes, A. T., Mullen, P. R., Goode, C. D., & Jensen, S. K . (2022). Experiences of law enforcement officers in an emotional and belief intelligence leadership training: A consensual qualitative report. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2022.2131857Rajan, S. K., Thomas, M. W., & Vidya, P. (2021). Emotional intelligence as a predictor of police operational stress: A pilot study. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 36, 568–578. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-021-09456-9
Credit Line: Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Police Operational Stress: A Pilot Study by Rajan, S.; Thomas, M.; Vidya, P., in Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, Vol. 36/ Issue 1. Copyright 2021 by Springer. Reprinted by permission of Springer via the Copyright Clearance Center. Licensed in 2023.Romosiou, V., Brouzos, A., & Vassilopoulos, S. P. (2019). An integrative group intervention for the enhancement of emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience and stress management among police officers. Police Practice and Research, 20(5), 460–478. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2018.1537847
Library Search Skills Resources (Review)Walden University Library. (n.d.). Database search skills [Multimedia]. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/databasesearchskills Walden University Library. (n.d.). Psychology library research: Basic article search. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/psychologyresearch Walden University Library. (n.d.) Top Psychology journals: Forensic psychology. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/subject/psychology/journals/lists?preview=65b2e42b21fc5f125df4b99d02e4dbe7#s-lg-box-27525329
Walden Writing Center Resources (Review)Walden University Library. (n.d.). Keyword searching: Finding articles on your topic: Introduction [Multimedia]. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/keyword/intro
Note: Focus on the following sections:
o Identify Relevant Databases
o Select Keywords
o Connect Keywords
o Set up Your SearchWalden University Library. (n.d.). Database search skills: Introduction [Multimedia]. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/databasesearchskillsWalden University Library. (n.d.). Psychology library research: Basic article search. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/psychologyresearch Walden University Library. (n.d.) Top psychology journals: Forensic psychology. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/subject/psychology/journals/lists?preview=65b2e42b21fc5f125df4b99d02e4dbe7#s-lg-box-27525329
PowerPoint Resources (Review)Walden University Quick Answers. (n.d.). MS PowerPoint resources: Getting started. https://academicanswers.waldenu.edu/faq/330533Microsoft. (n.d.). Microsoft 365 for Mac quick starts. https://support.office.com/en-us/article/office-for-mac-quick-starts-5bccb480-0e5b-4b51-b072-66d3793ccad8
Note: If you are a Mac user and have never experienced PowerPoint before, this source will guide you through the basics of how to use PowerPoint.
Also Note: The time estimate for this resource is approximately 20 minutes. Microsoft. (n.d.). PowerPoint for Windows training. https://support.office.com/en-us/article/powerpoint-for-windows-training-40e8c930-cb0b-40d8-82c4-bd53d3398787
Note: If you are a PC user and have never experienced PowerPoint before, this source will guide you through the basics of how to use PowerPoint.
Also Note: The time estimate for this resource is approximately 20 minutes. Microsoft. (n.d.). Record a slide show with narration and slide timings [Multimedia]. https://support.office.com/en-us/article/record-a-slide-show-with-narration-and-slide-timings-0b9502c6-5f6c-40ae-b1e7-e47d8741161c
Note: You will be required to include narration in your PowerPoint presentation for your Final Project. Take the time to review and apply these skills.
Also Note: The time estimate for this resource is approximately 20 minutes.
Required Media
Emotional Intelligence and Law Enforcement
In this media program, Dr. Lori Lacivita and Dr. Jana Price-Sharps discuss the role of emotional intelligence in law enforcement.
Launch External Tool
To prepare:Review the Learning Resources for this Assignment, paying special attention to those addressing how to use PowerPoint and how to create narrated PowerPoint presentations.Use the Walden Library and/or the internet to identify and review current research about EI competencies and related strategies to support law enforcement.
Note: You must identify a minimum of five recent (within the last 10 years), peer-reviewed articles to use to support your presentation.Use the PowerPoint presentation template, found in the Learning Resources for this Assignment, to create your presentation.
Assignment (9–12 slides, not including title and reference slides, plus narration or speaker notes)
Assume the role of a forensic psychology professional who has been tasked with presenting to an audience of law enforcement about de-escalation, including the cognitive processes involved and the evidence-based strategies utilized.
Create a PowerPoint presentation (with narration or detailed speaker notes) in which you address the following:Title (1 slide)
o Include title and your name.EI Competencies (3–4 slides)
o Provide a brief overview for each of the following competencies as it relates to law enforcement:
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Empathy
Stress tolerance
Social awareness
Relationship management
Emotional managementEI Strategies (6–8 slides)
o For each of the following topics, identify at least one relevant, related competency and two strategies to help law enforcement officers foster positive outcomes.
Dangerous criminal activities
Life or death scenarios
Racial bias
Discourtesy
Excessive responses/reactions
Lack of empathyReferences (1–2 slides)
o Cite the sources you used to support your presentation.
Make sure that your PowerPoint presentation reflects graduate-level writing and presentation standards, including professional-looking graphics and appropriate type style.
Use this week’s Learning Resources, as well as the five or more recent (within the last 10 years), peer-reviewed articles you identified to support your presentation. Use proper APA format and style for all references and citations.
Practice your script before recording your narration. Make sure when you record, you speak clearly and slowly; you have appropriate lighting, camera clarity/angle, and background; and you are in professional attire. Also, make sure your narration aligns to each PowerPoint slide as it appears.
If you choose not to provide narration for your presentation, instead include detailed speaker notes, as follows:Under each slide, in the notes section, write detailed speaker notes for each slide to complement the slide content.Your speaker notes should be clear, in-depth, and function as augmentation to the slide material.Your speaker notes should be written with sufficient depth to allow someone else to deliver the presentation.
by day 7
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SUbmission Information
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Requirements: 9 to 12 slides with at least 5 references and in text citations
