By Sgt. (Ret) Rick Anderson
During my 35 years in law enforcement, I spent decades teaching officer safety and survival. I drove the “be situationally aware” train all the time. So I’m going to take one more drive here. Situational awareness isn’t just for police officers; it’s for everyone, young and old. It’s a mindset that everyone must adopt to at least some degree to stay safer in today’s unpredictable world. Situational awareness is a simple concept; it allows us to see, hear, and feel when something is wrong, out of place, uncomfortable, or downright scary. It allows us to “AVOID” threats and danger if we do not ignore the cues. It is not simply about being aware of threats and dangers, so we can be prepared to face them, although in some situations this is the case; for most people, it is really about having the presence of mind to change plans and pivot to avoid the threats and dangers in the first place. The key to being safe is avoiding what makes us unsafe as best we can without becoming afraid to live our lives.
We are living in challenging times, and although no society in history has ever not experienced crime, violence, or public turmoil and unrest, it is our turn in the storm, and that is simply how it is. All we can do as individuals is choose to batten down the hatches and weather it as safely as possible. Thus, we’re all seeing the effects of heightened tension around us, rising crime, random acts of serious violence, heated political division, antisemitism, and hate based on nationality, sexual orientation, religion, and, believe it or not, even education. This has all led to social unrest. These stressors can quickly spill into public spaces, making awareness and preparedness more important than ever.
Here are a few simple habits I’ve taught officers for decades, and they work just as well for everyday life:
- Stay alert, not afraid. You don’t need to live in fear, but you do need to stay aware. Wolves hunt sheep because they are vulnerable prey. Don’t make yourself vulnerable. Put the phone down when walking down the street or to your car, or sitting in a public place. Keep headphone volumes low enough to hear the world around you. You might be surprised by what you hear and how it can keep you safe by allowing you to hear approaching vehicles or sirens, potential threats like screaming, yelling, or that unwanted catcall from strangers. If you need to video yourself walking down the street or crossing streets, because that is how you live your life, then you do you, but don’t get so focused that you do not see what is going on around you. Keep your eyes up, not looking down, glance at your video (your fans will understand), and phone or not, don’t be afraid to make eye contact, it tells people you are aware of their presence, it’s not threatening, just casual. You can even offer a smile, it’s ok to be friendly. But that awareness buys you time, and time buys you options.
- Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is. Don’t talk yourself out of listening to that inner voice, or what I have always fondly referred to as your “Hinky bells”. They will tell you to stop, slow down, think, or create distance and avoidance, which are perfectly good tactics. You don’t have to compromise your bravado if that’s important to you, simply view it as a “tactical” retreat. It works for me! You will likely never know what threat or danger you avoided, but that is exactly what you want. It is easy to know and quantify the threats and dangers you have experienced and luckily made it through, but it is impossible to know and quantify the threats and dangers you avoided. That does not mean they did not exist; it simply means they ceased to exist for you, and that’s a win!
- Know your environment. Take a few seconds to note where you are, where you have been, where you are going, businesses you visit, exits, lighting, and people around you on the streets and in establishments. Little details make a big difference when seconds count and decisions must be made. Be curious enough to fill in the gaps, and disinterested enough to leave when you should.
- Control your emotions. Fear is not bad; controlled fear is an asset, uncontrolled fear is a liability. Fear is a primal survival instinct that has helped keep humans alive for tens of thousands of years, but it must be controlled. Fear induces our “fight or flight” responses to threats. Fear, when harnessed and controlled, allows us to make more sound tactical decisions, such as disengaging and creating distance when we should and not freezing in place, stopping in a place of tactical advantage or protection when it is sound, but not freezing in a threat area, or fighting when we must because it is the best option. Like panic, calm is contagious; when you are calm, those around you are likely to stay calm to some degree, also because calm brings a sense of control to chaos, at least to some degree. Threats in the form of people tend to associate calm with a lack of fear (it’s just controlled), competence, and confidence. This can create some discomfort for them and may create enough doubt in their own abilities to cause them to disengage, which is a powerful weapon on its own. Calm prevents overreaction, it helps you prevent tunnel vision, and it allows you to see the situation and understand it better. In a heated moment, calm and composure can serve as tools to de-escalate what could otherwise turn dangerous.
- Know your skills, abilities, and your limitations: Understand what you’re truly capable of, and what you’re not. Use that to guide your decisions. Confidence is good, overconfidence is not. Confidence in keeping ourselves safe is based on realistic assessments of situations and our capabilities, leading to effective risk management and preparedness [1, 3, 5]. Overconfidence, conversely, involves a false sense of security or an overestimation of our abilities to handle threats, which can lead to neglecting safety measures and engaging in riskier behavior.
- Speak up and communicate. If you see something suspicious or threatening, say something. If you can, tell someone in a position of authority (police, fire, a business manager, anyone who can create an appropriate response to the threat) A quick call or report can prevent tragedy. I shout that the police have been called can stop a crime in progress, a controlled and confident shoutout for others to stop or move away due to whatever threat you identified, can prevent those not situationally aware from becoming victims, and quickly become aware and avoid placing themselves at risk.
So, whether you’re walking or out and about in public, attending a community event, or just going about your day, remember and understand that safety starts with awareness. You don’t need a badge or specialized training to keep yourself and those you care about safe; you simply need to decide to be aware enough to keep yourself and those you care about safe.
Stay safe. Stay aware. Take care of each other.