When Shots are Fired
Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. Psalm 144:1-2 ESV
The “Thin Blue Line” symbolizes law enforcement as the barrier between order and chaos, anarchy and civilization, and decency and lawlessness; law enforcement officers are God’s instruments of peace. It represents law enforcement’s duty to protect people through the power of the law. In a free society, people who do not feel safe are not truly free. Law enforcement’s mission is to protect life and property, which gives many officers a sense of “mission,” meaning what they do matters.
When they become law enforcement officers, they swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State, in which they are employed, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. They bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State, in which they are working. They take their obligation freely without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and they will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which they are about to enter. Law enforcement is a profession not taken lightly, with many claiming it is a “calling.”
No law enforcement officer ever starts their shift hoping to be involved in a shooting. Their primary concern is always returning home safely to their loved ones. It doesn’t matter whether they are Tribal, Municipal, County, State, or Federal Law Enforcement Officers; they want to do their jobs and go home. They are driven by a desire to serve and protect their community. They care about the communities they serve and have a deep-seated commitment to upholding the law, maintaining order, and ensuring public safety.
Law enforcement is a unique profession. Officers spend most of their day preparing for worst-case scenarios and addressing public issues, often while dealing with their own problems. In today’s political climate, they face constant scrutiny from the community. This job requires a willingness to sacrifice everything for the community they serve, which is a heavy burden.
Our law enforcement officers are more than just enforcers of the law; they are dedicated servants committed to upholding God’s order. They shine light into dark places, bring peace where there’s conflict, and inspire hope amidst fear. Psalm 144:1-2, written by King David to reaffirm his trust in God during battle, is often invoked by law enforcement officers to call upon God’s strength, protection, and skill. Law enforcement officers see themselves as spiritual warriors who serve and protect, drawing comfort and courage from these words amid their challenging and hazardous duties.
Due to increasing demands, stress in the law enforcement community is rising each year. Social media and liberal platforms undermine their efforts. Far left politicians vilify police through movements and policies like “defunding the police,” “catch and release,” and “bail reform.” The “irresponsible, reckless rhetoric” from political leaders creates a hostile environment and has dangerous, real-world consequences for officers, including an increase in assaults and death threats.
A Little about the Brain
The brain controls the neurological system, which serves as the body’s control system. It governs a person’s behaviors, ideas, and automatic responses. A massive network of nerves runs throughout the body, sending and receiving electrical signals to and from other cells, glands, and muscles. These nerves are information gatherers that analyze the data and control reactions. The brain is the command, storing, and processing center. Weighing about 3 pounds, the brain is very complex. It controls every bodily function, including thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, respiration, temperature, and hunger. Being connected to the brain, the spinal cord is the network of neurons that transmits signals throughout the body. The brain and the body communicate through neurons.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:13-14
The sensory organs are specialized structures composed of sensory neurons that enable us to perceive and respond to our environment. The five primary senses are sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. It is generally accepted in the medical community that sight is an essential sense. Because of how it functions, the eyes serve as the physical entry point for information. The optic nerve transmits data to the visual cortex, located in the occipital lobe at the back of the brain. Simultaneously, the cerebral cortex tells you whether what you see is safe, threatening, or associated with other memories. All of this is done in a fraction of a second.
With 1 millisecond equal to 0.001 seconds, it takes about 400-500 milliseconds to respond to visual stimuli. Considering that half of this time is spent in the transmission of signals between neurons and in giving the response, the time taken to analyze and decide on the answer is really short. Neuronal activity of 50-100 milliseconds is sufficient to encode information; approximately 20-30 milliseconds are required to identify and discriminate complex visual stimuli.
The relationship between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands is called the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA). The HPA is a complex network of neuroendocrine pathways and feedback loops that work together to maintain homeostasis. Being a division of the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system is primarily known for its activation during “fight-or-flight” responses. The HPA axis activation is an essential physiological function.
The officer’s environment requires that the body adapt quickly to stress. For example, when danger is detected, the body must respond quickly. When there is a perception or involvement in a stressful event, the hypothalamus releases Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF). The bloodstream then carries CRF to the pituitary gland, where it is converted into Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The bloodstream also transports this to the adrenal glands. Corticosteroids, the most important of which is cortisol, are produced by the cortex of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys, produce hormones that help regulate metabolism, the immune system, blood pressure, the stress response, and other functions.
Putting this into Perspective
A law enforcement officer gets a suspicious person call outside a local convenience store. While enroute to the call, he is advised that the suspicious person may be armed with a firearm. With that information, his hypothalamus and pituitary gland (HPA) kick into action. Adrenaline and cortisol are beginning to be released into his system. While not in full stress mode, his pulse and blood pressure slowly rise, and his senses become more alert.
Upon arrival, he sees the suspicious person in front of the store and an object protruding from the person’s waistband. He goes into “full-blown stress” mode. In less than 100 milliseconds, he recognizes the object as the wooden handle from a revolver. His amygdala processes the information he sees, and his HPA axis responds, releasing more adrenaline and cortisol into his system. His pupils dilate, improving his vision; his heartbeat increases, pumping more blood to his muscles; and stored sugar is released, increasing energy.
At the same time, training and experience kick in. He draws his duty weapon, aiming it at the person as he steps to the side and gives verbal orders. All of this is happening in under a second. As the next few milliseconds pass, the decision to shoot depends on the suspicious person’s actions.
It doesn’t matter what the weapon is, whether it is a firearm, knife, sword, blunt object, or motor vehicle, when a law enforcement officer has to use his firearm, almost all of the time that life or death decision is made in less than a second.
During a law enforcement officer’s career, scenarios like this and other dangerous situations will occur numerous times, sometimes ending peacefully and well, and sometimes not.
The Aftermath
Officer-involved shootings are sudden, unpredictable, and violent events that fall outside the normal range of human activity, instilling fear and anxiety in those affected. These incidents pose a severe threat to a person’s life and can drastically alter their outlook, destroying the belief that they are safe and that “bad things won’t happen to them.” The trauma from such a shooting does not end with the event itself. Instead, law enforcement officers may face ongoing mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI).
Being involved in a shooting is a no-win situation. The suspect is dead, and although the officer is physically unharmed, they must now confront the emotional and psychological consequences of taking a life while on duty. This split-second decision to pull the trigger can lead to lifelong psychological trauma. Without adequate support, the officer may struggle to cope with the lingering effects of the incident. Officers often “micro-manage” their thoughts by repeatedly reliving the event and questioning whether things could have turned out differently. An officer-involved shooting is a terrifying experience that almost always leaves a psychological scar and, in some cases, is enough to end an officer’s career.
Amid a constant barrage of opinions from social media and the far-left mainstream media, coupled with the vilification of law enforcement officers by politicians, many officers feel demoralized and unsupported. This situation has coincided with rising crime rates in major cities, creating significant challenges for police department recruitment and retention. The morale of those law enforcement officers who risk their lives daily has reached a breaking point.
The irresponsible and reckless rhetoric has fueled growing distrust in institutions that once formed the backbone of public safety. Law enforcement officers are forced to make split-second decisions under relentless public scrutiny. The result is fewer officers, slower response times, more emboldened criminals, and entire communities bearing the consequences of policies driven more by ideology than by evidence.
The conversation about public safety has become increasingly disconnected from reality. Criminal behavior is often excused, while those tasked with stopping it are condemned. Confidence in the criminal justice system is eroding at an alarming pace, leaving law-abiding citizens wondering who will protect them when order breaks down.
The public narrative has shifted away from accountability toward ideological scapegoating. Respect for the rule of law has been consistently eroded. Public discourse has become hostile to facts that challenge the prevailing narrative, with the emphasis shifting from protecting citizens to appeasing vocal activist groups. Prime victims are increasingly overlooked in favor of political messaging, and policing is becoming politicized, undermining community safety. Trust between communities and law enforcement has been deliberately weakened, leaving many Americans feeling less safe despite reassurances to the contrary. Unfortunately, the long-term consequences for public order may be far more severe than acknowledged.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV
As First Responders, we took an oath to protect the good and fight evil. Many have lost track of their priorities and put their jobs first in their lives. If you are experiencing a lower than usual sense of self-worth, depression or misplaced guilt, inability to remember or talk about the trauma specifically, feeling numb emotionally, dissociation (not aware of the present moment), a feeling of disconnection from your everyday lives, feeling hyper-aroused and vigilant for danger all the time, lashing out in irritability or unexplained anger, feeling jittery, or unable to concentrate on tasks at hand or other anxiety disorders, such as panic or intense distress, talk to someone and get help. Get back to the basics. Put God First, Family Second, and the job last.
IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE – GET HELP NOW
Law Enforcement – COPLINE (800) COPLINE (267-5463)
Firefighters / Medics – FIRE/EMS HELPLINE (800) 731-FIRE (3473)
Peace doesn’t come from the absence of problems.
Peace comes from the PRESENCE OF GOD
Pastor Steve Chappell, Coastline Baptist Church – Oceanside, Ca
