Introduction
Critical thinking is a unique approach to a situation that allows a to analyze the available information to come to conclusions. Applying this approach is possible in any area since it assists in assessing the situation without relying on subjective judgments and prejudices. In this case, applying critical thinking in law enforcement is especially important. It will help to objectify the law enforcement system, which will improve the ability to manage critical incidents and will also help reduce the number of lawsuits in connection with officer-involved shootings.
Critical Thinking Skills
Even though it is difficult to give a precise definition to the concept of critical thinking that would take into account all the nuances, there are specific skills that define a person as a critical thinker. Facione identifies six skills that are essential for critical thinking. According to the researcher, the basis of critical thinking is “interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation” (Facione 5). These skills must be applied in law enforcement to avoid biases, prejudices, and false accusations. In addition, applying critical thinking in law enforcement allows one to analyze all the risks and consequences associated with the decisions and actions taken.
The application of these skills in the field of legal activity is critical. For example, the correct interpretation of events is essential for understanding the intentions of a person and the motives of his actions. In addition, inference is necessary so that when analyzing the available information, a law enforcement officer can come to a particular logical conclusion. This skill involves making hypotheses and assumptions that require further careful testing.
Evaluation of the reliability of sources is also of great importance in legal activity. Daily, officers and investigators need to process a large amount of information, including testimonies, which can be biased. A law enforcement officer must filter out information that may be unreliable or contain subjective judgments regarding the situation. Furthermore, any position must have a clear justification and be supported by facts. Therefore, an explanation is another essential critical thinking skill in law enforcement.
Another vital cognitive skill for an officer is to come to a logical conclusion and be able to substantiate it, backing it up with evidence and facts. Inference cannot be based on the officer’s judgments or biases. Otherwise, such an officer would be considered incompetent. Moreover, inference helps foresee the possible consequences of decisions and actions. For example, this can be very useful for resolving issues related to officer-involved shootings. Before firing, the officer, using critical thinking skills, will be able to analyze the situation and assess the possible outcomes of events. In most cases, the use of weapons is only one of the scenarios that can be avoided.
Finally, self-regulation is the sixth important skill that forms the basis of critical thinking. At all stages of the investigation, it is vital that the law enforcement officer soberly assess his attitude to the situation. That is, a person must understand which conclusions are objective and which have arisen due to personal beliefs and prejudices. Moreover, a vital component of this skill is also self-correction. Suppose a mistake was made at one of the stages of thinking that affected the final result. In that case, the critical thinker must be able to identify and recognize this mistake and correct it.
Applying Critical Thinking in Law Enforcement
Training Critical Thinking Skills
To meet the demands of modern society, law enforcement agencies must constantly develop new approaches and apply new paradigms of thinking. As Ridlehoover states, “Improved critical thinking and decision-making lead to more positive outcomes and situation management, ultimately improving both the department and community” (par. 22). In addition, it can help improve the reputation of law enforcement in the media space and society, as well as reduce the number of lawsuits against officers. Therefore, it is essential to include the development of critical thinking skills in the training of officers.
Today, in most cases, there are situations when a novice officer does not think independently during training but adopts the ideas expressed by his teacher. Most police training programs are based on the study of codes and laws. At the same time, the maximum thinking activity of a newly minted law enforcement officer lies in the choice between acting like a warrior or acting like a protector (Ridlehoover). Lack of training in critical thinking skills leads to false judgments and inferences and ignorance of facts, most likely unintentionally.
Another critical omission in officer training is that new recruits are paired with experienced officers for the first few weeks. It leads to the fact that the newcomer does not gain his own experience but adopts the principles of behavior and work from his mentor. In this context, one can also speak of two systems of thought proposed by Facione (17). System 1 assumes that getting into a familiar situation, a person will rely on his experience. At the same time, System 2 is suitable for unfamiliar situations, when it is possible to analyze the available data, consider possible consequences, and, based on the analysis, come to a possible solution to the situation. Both systems of thought must be applied in law enforcement.
Moreover, System 1, in most cases, can only emerge from the previous application of System 2. For the officer to use previous experience in new emerging critical situations, it is vital to have a similar experience. That is, for the further application of System 1, System 2 must be applied earlier in a similar situation. However, today’s approach to training officers and their adaptation makes it almost impossible to use critical thinking and a thorough analysis of the situation. When law enforcement officers learn from the experience of their predecessors, their conclusions and actions will likely be based not only on their own biases but also on the biases transmitted to them in the training process.
Decision Making in Critical Incidents
It is imperative to assess the situation and foresee all possible consequences for decision-making in critical incidents. As Power and Alison note, “Critical incidents are contexts in which individuals and teams make judgments while operating under rapidly changing and uncertain conditions” (210). Therefore, for effective decision-making in such situations, it is necessary not only to have the skills of critical thinking but also to apply them correctly. The decision-maker must analyze the situation and model all possible outcomes of his decisions and actions.
In this case, we need to return to the two systems of thinking by Facione again. Usually, one of these systems is used, but in critical incidents, a person with relevant experience is usually chosen to make decisions. Thus, it seems logical to use Thinking System 1 based on previous experience. Nevertheless, in critical situations, decision-making should be comprehensive, based both on the officer’s previous experience and on a critical assessment of the situation and modeling of each decision’s consequences.
Moreover, in critical situations, mistakes are almost inevitable when decisions are made under tremendous pressure and within a limited time frame. They may be due to misinterpretation of information, omission of some details, or making false assumptions (Ridlehoover). However, one of the key points of critical thinking here is that the decision-maker initially considers the possibility of making such a mistake. That is, he applies the skill of self-regulation and, as a result, self-examination, and self-correction. Generally speaking, one of the scenarios that a critical thinker should assume is the one in which the error or omission was made initially. It will help to quickly resolve the problems that have arisen and correct the situation.
Conclusion
Thus, critical thinking is a crucial skill for law enforcement officers today. It is paramount that officers’ training includes not only the study of laws but also the development of cognitive skills, which will make recruits more adapted to work in modern conditions. Using critical thinking during decision-making helps reduce the risks of negative consequences or quickly identify and correct mistakes if they are made. As a result, the law enforcement system will become more objective, transparent, and fair. It, in turn, will increase the reputation of law enforcement agencies in society and reduce the number of lawsuits against officers, appealing to their incompetence.
Works Cited
Facione, Peter. “Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts.”Insight Assessment, 2020, Web.
Power, Nicola, and Laurence Alison. “Decision inertia in critical incidents.”European Psychologist, vol. 24, no. 3, 2019, pp. 209-218. Web.
Ridlehoover, Michelle. “Perspective: Need for critical thinking in police training.”FBI. Law Enforcement Bulletin, Web.