Think About It

I have been hanging around the police for over twenty years now and I have made a few observations.  The first one is that when people deal with the police it typically causes stress.  Even something as simple as being pulled over for a relatively minor traffic offense tends to elevate the blood pressure and heart rate.  The second thing I have noticed is that when people are under stress, they don’t function as well as they do when they are relaxed.  Articulate people tend to stutter or misspeak when they are asked simple questions.  People even have trouble reading things – like seeing the word “Chaplain” written on my shirt and calling me “Captain”.  Simply, stress does not typically bring out the best in us. The reason I bring up this topic is not to address citizen-police encounters, rather it is encourage us to think about the decisions we make under stressful situations.  If something as simple as a traffic stop can derail us imagine the impact a life-altering situation can h