Police Officers: In Search of Coherence and Resilience

Editor’s note: Police departments nationwide and abroad face closer scrutiny in the wake of highly publicized officer-involved shootings. This article looks at efforts to study the effects of and implement coherence and resilience training designed to lower stress levels among police officers and improve our communities.

We often hear about the anxious, fearful and angry reactions of people to violent and tragic events, whether it is in their own communities or distant places. This has been especially evident in the last few years as large groups of people have turned their anger, fear and grief on law enforcement in response to police officer-involved shootings.