Page 40 - PCPA Winter 2023 Bulletin Magazine

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PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
LEXIPOL | WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER A CRITICAL INCIDENT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
What to Expect After
a Critical Incident in
Law Enforcement
Most people think mostly about the importance of coping
during these traumatic experiences. There’s much less
emphasis on the skills required after a critical incident
in law enforcement. Based on my personal experience, I
believe more first responders need to plan better for the
aftermath of traumatic calls.
All Hell Breaks Loose
Approximately 10 years ago, I was a sergeant in my
police department’s professional services unit. The unit
consisted only of myself and my lieutenant for our entire
agency’s 125 sworn officers. Late afternoon one day in
the office was unremarkable until the radio toned the
emergency signal, reporting an officer down.
It all began when our gang unit spotted a well-known local
probationer who had an outstanding warrant. He fled from
contact and made it to a relative’s home. As he bolted
inside, he squeezed off a round, hitting an officer in the
leg. Our medium-sized town just got busy.
Since I worked in plain clothes and was inside the station,
I grabbed my vest so I would be more identifiable for on-
scene police recognition. The radio was a constant stream
By: Missy Morris
As law enforcement officers, we train for so many different situations and scenarios.
We learn what to do and what not to do, what’s legal and what isn’t, and how policies
and regulations impact our decisions. We learn all about how to approach a critical
incident, which is defined as “a stressful event that is so consuming it overwhelms
existing coping skills.” Grace under fire — whether literally or figuratively — can
make the difference between a successful conclusion and abysmal failure.
MISSY MORRIS started in public safety
as a juvenile probation worker after
graduating from University of California
Santa Barbara in 1991 with a degree in
behavioral psychology. She moved to
the San Francisco Bay Area to work in
probation before quickly transitioning to
police work. After serving three years with
the Palo Alto and Mountain View police
departments as a patrol officer, she spent
the following 22 years of her 28-year
career at the City of Roseville. Missy
worked in critical incident negotiations,
eventually becoming the multi-city team
leader and serving seven years on the
state board of hostage negotiators. Missy
feels her greatest assignment was a five-
year stint as a traffic motor officer riding
a BMW and working fatal accidents. She
held several special assignments before
retiring in 2020 as a lieutenant. Missy
now works with the Lexipol Professional
Services Team, working closely with
Cordico wellness solution.
Missy Morris