Officer Perception, Cognition, and Decision-Making in a Simulated, Dynamic Officer-Involved Shooting: The Relationship Between Training, Eye Scan, Performance, Arousal, and Rest
Chief Executive Officer Force Science Mankato, Minnesota, United States
Officers were presented with a very realistic, complex, dynamic and very conflictual situation. Officers responded in their squads, in a high speed run to a conflict involving a vehicle crash, with multiple subjects and a very high risk of violence. It quickly escalated to a physical confrontation and then a shooting. Officers' eye scans were assessed and related to their tactical training, professional position, experience and arousal. High levels of arousal were correlated with both effective and ineffective engagement and performance. In those with training, experience, and rest, arousal facilitated early identification of threats, and effective responses. In those without that, it contributed to erratic eye scan, cognitive and behavioral disorganization, and poor performance.