The challenge facing Police Officers and State Troopers to remain personally safe while insuring public safety requires constant vigilance and a continuing search for new tools, equipment, and procedures to meet that ever-growing challenge.  Police Academy curriculum and routine in-service training provide field-based Officers and Troopers with the instruction and skills they typically need to perform their duties, whether it is to walk a beat, ride a patrol car, direct traffic, handle emergencies, enforce traffic regulations, respond to radio calls, or back-up their partners.  However, what is not learned during academy or in-service training is how the dominant and shadow temperaments of each law enforcement professional influence their decisions and behaviors.  Most importantly, what is not taught is how temperament drives their reactions to the behaviors of others.  These reactions can either lead our Officer’s and Trooper’s into danger or insure their personal safety. 000

One of the lesser known concepts for achieving enhanced Officer and Trooper safety is temperament.  Temperament is primarily that aspect of our personality that is concerned with emotions and the speed and intensity of our reactions to them.  As Hippocrates found some 2,500 years ago, we are each born with four basic temperaments and develop our “dominant” temperament, that is, those behaviors, attitudes and emotions that feel MOST comfortable and natural to us.  We have described these “Basic Elements” of temperament in terms that honor the fact that we cannot survive if even one is missing:

Earth— reliable, traditional, organized, sensible, and trustworthy. 

Air— intelligent, analytical, curious, visionary, and logical.

Fire— spontaneous, playful, innovative, uninhibited, and fearless.

Water— compassionate, friendly, personal, and benevolent.

How do these four temperaments relate to enhancing the safety of Police Officers and State Troopers?  We posit that the dominant temperament of an Officer or Trooper is a strong influence on their willingness – or unwillingness — to take risks!

Most police academy training curriculum emphasizes knowledge of the law, physical fitness, firearm proficiency, defensive tactics, driving skills, and officer survival skills.  While all of these fundamental topics can be linked broadly, and many directly, to personal safety, there is a basic need for today’s Officers and Troopers to understand what makes them tick and what influences the split-second decisions and actions they must make and take each day to keep themselves alive and to protect the public at large.

Dominant Temperament

When my co-author, Jim Harden, and I began to write about temperament in our book, “What Makes You Tick and What Ticks You Off” and lead temperament seminars for public, private and non-profit sector clients, we looked at temperament primarily as that aspect of our personality concerned with emotions and the speed and intensity of our reactions to them.  What might such dominant temperaments look like in our Officers and Troopers?

Earth Officers/Troopers

Officers/Troopers with an Earth temperament have an inborn pre-disposition to protect the safety and security of home, neighborhood, and their communities.  They are highly dependable and extremely organized.  They use written lists and/or have memorized checklists of safety procedures.  They are detail-oriented and stay precisely on schedule unless called upon to perform additional tasks.  Duty is taken very seriously.   They are formal rather than informal.  They are excellent planners.  They have a strong work ethic and value morality, justice and tradition.

Air Officers/Troopers

Officers/Troopers with an Air temperament have an inborn pre-disposition to be competent in their profession.  They are unemotional and may appear to be oblivious to the emotions of others.  They expect perfection in themselves and in their partners.  They are critical of their own capabilities—and the capabilities of others.  They enjoy discussing the future of their department or police work, in general.  They are logical and rational and are comfortable working alone.  They need to have all available data and information before making a decision.

Fire Officers/Troopers 

Officers/Troopers with a Fire temperament have an inborn pre-disposition to take action.  They are technically savvy and enjoy having the latest weapons and “gadgets” around them.  They are uninhibited and great troubleshooters.  Paperwork bores them.  They are informal rather than formal.  They hate to wait.  They will get the job done no matter the time and effort they must put in to do so.  They are innovative and great in a crisis.  They do not enjoy being told what to do.  They are self-confident and believe they can handle any situation they must face.

Water Officers/Troopers

Officers/Troopers with a Water temperament have an inborn pre-disposition to care for other people.  They are positive and optimistic.  They see the potential in others and enjoy developing their skills.  They strive for cooperation and harmony.  They view law enforcement as a way of helping individuals, groups, and their communities.  They have difficulty in saying no to requests.  They tell the truth no matter the cost.  They hate lying.  They value integrity in themselves, in other officers, and in their departments.

Let’s take a look at how four State Troopers, each with a different dominant temperament, may approach a common police situation.  This scenario represents the type of sample situations that we use in our temperament seminars.  See if you can identify the subtle, and not so subtle, differences between them.

Example  #1:  The Speeder

A speeding car traveling well-above the posted limit passes a State Trooper on a rainy night.  Hitting his/her lights, the Trooper initiates a traffic stop and pulls him over some two miles down the highway, after watching him weave in and out of traffic along the way.  The suspect has his license, registration and insurance card in his hands and is holding them out the window awaiting the Trooper’s arrival in the pouring rain.

Earth Temperament Trooper

This Trooper believes that the speeder has already demonstrated an obvious carelessness for the law and public safety by accelerating in and out of traffic while breaking the posted limit.  The Trooper perceives this situation as a probable arrest.  The Trooper is also concerned that the driver may be hiding something by rapidly producing his documents in hopes of hurrying the process along. The Trooper is pre-dispositioned to believe that this law-breaker is a probable danger and proceeds with extreme caution.

Air Temperament Trooper

This Trooper sees this situation as a unique challenge to his/her understanding of the law and police procedures.  He/She immediately engages the video camera to record this encounter; informs his/her dispatcher of their location; runs the license plate; proceeds with caution, placing his/her hand on the trunk while approaching the driver’s side of the car; introduces himself to the driver; takes the documents from the driver’s hand; and, insures that the note section on the back of the ticket is fully completed.  The Trooper is pre-dispositioned to believe that this driver’s behavior may provide some “lessons learned” from a law enforcement perspective, especially since weather conditions are bad and there is so much traffic.

Fire Temperament Trooper

This Trooper feels self-confident and able to handle this problem without difficulty however he/she maintains an open-mind as to why this situation has occurred in the first place.  The Trooper believes this driver could be anything from a guy on drugs or a drunk or just someone in a very big hurry.  The Trooper is pre-dispositioned to solving this traffic stop quickly and knows he/she can be as flexible as the situation warrants.  The Trooper thinks it might be fun to ask the driver to step out of the car for a sobriety test in the pouring rain.  The Trooper follows general orders.

Water Temperament Trooper

This Trooper is pre-dispositioned to believe that something must be troubling this driver for him to act in such a reckless manner.  The Trooper believes it is his/her duty to find out the real cause of this traffic stop.  The Trooper will engage the driver to determine the justification for the erratic driving.  If he/she decides the driver is lying, the full brunt of the law would be warranted.  The Trooper will follow general orders and believes that this incident will not be fully completed until the driver is allowed to fully explain his reckless behavior.

Analysis

The dominant temperaments of each Trooper in Example #1 pre-dispose them to perceive the same situation in a slightly different manner.  Temperament could influence the Earth Trooper to prematurely decide that the driver is going to jail.  Temperament could influence the Air Trooper to not take the situation too seriously but rather as an intellectual case study.  Temperament could influence the Fire Trooper to rush too quickly into the situation, trusting his/her self-confidence to handle any behavioral variation exhibited by the driver.  Temperament could influence the Water Trooper to be so empathetic to the driver that it could put him/her in danger.  While police training provides knowledge and skills in handling similar traffic stops, the power of the dominant temperament on decision-making should considered a complementary and integral part of basic instruction.

Shadow Temperament

In our research, Jim Harden and I also found that we all possess a shadow temperament, that is, those behaviors, attitudes and emotions that feel LEAST comfortable, even unnatural, to us.  So, if we take our four Basic Elements and prioritize them, the temperament that is our dominant preference would come first.  Our second and third preferences (i.e., secondary and tertiary) would come next and our fourth preference would be called our shadow temperament – those behaviors, attitudes and emotions that we relate to the least and typically cause us to become angry and upset with others (e.g., spouses, our children, supervisors, partners, suspects, etc.).

We posit that Officers/Troopers who can identify and understand their shadow temperaments are more likely to resist becoming emotionally upset and angry when faced with behaviors from that shadow temperament than can those Officers/Troopers who cannot.

While most Officers/Troopers will be able to acknowledge the existence of their dominant temperament fairly easily, many will be surprised that the cause of sudden emotional discomfort (even rage) is linked directly to their shadow temperament.  Let’s take a look at another seminar example of how the shadow temperament may have a dangerous effect on Police Officers.

Example #2:  The Drug Bust

At the police station interview room, four Police Officers prepare to question a young man dressed in a torn tee-shirt and low-hanging jeans who was arrested for selling drugs outside a corner store in the inner city.  They’re hoping this interview will lead to the identification of his supplier.

Dominant Earth Officer with a Shadow Temperament of Fire

This Officer views the clothing of the defendant as typical of a drug-dealing, inner city, lowlife.  The Officer recognizes this “small-time” dealer as a “cowboy” who is taking a short-cut through life by selling drugs to make a buck.  The Officer has seen these types of guys before.  They don’t listen.  They don’t care.  Resigned and bored, the defendant says, “Let’s get this thing over with.”  The Officer slams a fist down on the table.  “I’ll tell you when you can talk, got that!”

Dominant Air Officer with a Shadow Temperament of Water

This Officer is curious about the arrest record of the defendant and begins to probe into his past.  The defendant responds that he was selling drugs to help out his family since his father deserted them when he was young and his mother is sick and can’t pay their bills.  The Officer perceives this story as “woe is me” and becomes irritated at the lack of logic.  “So,” the Officer asks.  “You love your mother.  You don’t have much money.  You want to help her because she can’t pay her bills.  So, you break the law and sell drugs on a street corner knowing that sooner or later you’ll be arrested.  So, tell me again how are you going to help your mother when you’re behind bars?”

Dominant Fire Officer with a Shadow Temperament of Air

This Officer believes the defendant should just acknowledge he was caught and let it go at that.  The defendant knew the game he was playing – and lost!  This is an open and shut case in the mind of the Officer but he/she is surprised when the defendant starts to justify his behavior in a loud and condescending tone.  Within minutes, the Officer becomes enraged as the defendant curses at him and tells him in no uncertain terms that he doesn’t understand the inner city culture and never will.  The Officer is quickly further incensed when the defendant asserts how he’ll beat this rap because of the foul ups in procedures by the arresting Officers.

Dominant Water Officer with a Shadow Temperament of Earth

This Officer empathizes with the defendant to some extent.  The Officer believes the defendant’s dress and record is systematic of a huge portion of a poor, inner city population that needs help in many different ways.  The Officer becomes angered however when the defendant begins to lecture him/her on how the police “ought to be helping us poor people, not arresting us” and how the police “should be more understanding of the conditions in the inner city, and how this precinct has always arrested people for no good reason.”  When the defendant argues that he didn’t actually sell the drugs he was arrested for, the Officer feels disgust and all semblance of empathy vanishes.

Analysis

In a police station interview room, the shadow temperaments of the Police Officers in Example #2 were revealed primarily through the defendant’s words.  His words triggered “hot buttons” and surfaced anger and emotional stress in each of the four Officers.  On the street, it could be a suspect’s words, actions, or out-of-field behavior that could lead to a physical confrontation or even death.  No Police Officer wants to be blamed for the death or physical endangerment of a suspect due to personal anger or emotional upset.  Nor do we want Police Officers harmed for the same reason – an inability to understand their shadow temperament and its influence on their behavior.

Temperament and Organizations

Organizations can have a temperament, too.  The Boy Scouts is an example of an Earth organization that prides itself on being trustworthy, loyal, thrifty and brave.  NASA is an Air organization that is national recognized as a leader in scientific research.  Apple is a Fire company that designs and manufactures a variety of innovative and creative personal computer-related products and services.  Disney is a Water company that focuses on family values through its theme parks, movies, resorts and other products and services.  Law enforcement agencies are typically Earth organizations that boast long-held traditions of structured policies, practices and procedures that have been developed over time to insure the safety of Officers/Troopers and the public.

Law Enforcement Personnel and their Partners

Police Officers and many other law enforcement professionals are often paired with partners who provide immediate back-up and critical support.  Since assigned partners are not matched according to the four Basic Elements of temperament, it is likely that differing dominant and shadow temperaments will be present – temperaments that could easily result in miscommunication and/or misinterpretation of intent – situations that can lead to increased danger and reduced safety.  Awareness of the strong influences generated by both dominant and shadow temperaments on the individual is critical for all law enforcement personnel to understand in order to recognize the personal drivers that could place them, and their partners, in harm’s way.

How Can Officers/Troopers Move From Theory to Application with Temperament?

How can law enforcement professionals learn more about temperament?  Learning any new skill takes time and practice.  In fact, research shows that while it takes 300 repetitions to produce the correct movement or technique from memory, it takes 3,000 repetitions to do the same activity without thinking about it.  Practice does, in fact, make perfect.  What are the key steps to take?

Step One:  Become aware that personal temperament has a direct influence on how individuals, and organizations, behave and make decisions.  Read our book, “What Makes You Tick and What Ticks You Off,” to get the basics of temperament theory.  Understand the terminology and concepts behind each of the four temperaments.  Learn how dominant and shadow temperaments impact your view of the world.

Step Two:  Identify your own dominant and shadow temperaments (each of us is different) and analyze how you are impacted by them.  Remember, we have all four temperaments within us.  Recognize that your dominant temperament influences you in how you prepare, interact, and communicate with everyone you know, without your ever realizing it.  It even influences you to avoid some people.  Review some of your recent successes and failures in dealing with people.  Think back to what you did and what you said when faced with a potentially dangerous situation.  How were you influenced by your dominant temperament?  Were you negatively influenced by the reactions and behaviors of the other person or group of people that reflected your shadow temperament?  Could a supervisor or co-worker’s negative reaction to you be related to their believing your actions and conversations reflected their shadow temperaments?

Step Three:  Make your dominant temperament work more effectively for you.  Look for opportunities to meet with colleagues or friends whose personalities appear different than your own.  See if you can discern their dominant temperaments.  Analyze their conversations and behaviors and try to identify the strengths they bring to bear.  List the strengths that your dominant temperament brings to your law enforcement efforts.  Consider how you can build upon each of those strengths and how they can enhance your professionalism.  For example, if you are a dominant Air, consider how your preference for data and information can be reflected and incorporated more effectively into your law enforcement work.

Step Four:  Although a difficult step for many, make your shadow temperament work for you!  Meet with colleagues or acquaintances whose personalities typically tick you off!  These people probably represent your shadow temperament.  Try to ascertain what behaviors they exhibit that make you feel so emotionally uncomfortable or even angry.  These may also be the behaviors that your colleagues, supervisors or members of the general public exhibit that elicits an unconscious negative reaction from you.  This is potentially your greatest learning opportunity since you will now become more aware of the causes for your reactions to the behaviors of others.

Step Five:  Apply your new found expertise in temperament in “safe” learning environments.  At first, find opportunities to use your temperament skills in situations where you feel most comfortable.  This might be with a co-worker you know well or with an acquaintance that you have had a positive relationship with over the years.  Prepare yourself by identifying the dominant temperament of your partner, co-worker, friend, supervisor, etc., and explore how you can achieve a greater understanding and deeper relationship with them by virtue of your understanding their temperament.  Finally, apply your new temperament skills in law enforcement situations with more difficult people who most likely represent your shadow temperament.  Modify your interpersonal approaches to acknowledge and build upon the strengths you now realize are possessed by others whose dominant temperaments are actually your shadow.

Utilizing temperament in order to make Police Officers and State Troopers safer is challenging and will take time and effort – but sometimes a little help is needed.  Our interactive workshops focus on understanding temperament theory, identifying personal strengths and continuing challenges, and developing practical strategies for applying key temperament principles, especially dealing with your shadow, on-the-job.  In addition to the examples in this article, our workshops generate a variety of personal breakthroughs and professional discoveries concerning how temperament can result in safer law enforcement practices and the enhanced personal awareness of each Officer/Trooper participant.

Insuring the safety of law enforcement professionals is complex and ever challenging.  A better understanding of temperament becomes yet another learning tool in your never ending journey to make your career in law enforcement more enjoyable, successful – and safer!

Brad Dude and Jim Harden are the co-authors of, “What Makes You Tick and What Ticks You Off – How the Basic Elements of Temperament Will Lead You to a Happier Life.”   Derek Dude is an Officer of the Metropolitan Police Department in the District of Columbia.