{"id":4875,"date":"2016-12-08T05:00:59","date_gmt":"2016-12-08T10:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=4875"},"modified":"2016-12-12T19:30:55","modified_gmt":"2016-12-13T00:30:55","slug":"police-psychology-the-operational-triangle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=4875","title":{"rendered":"Police Psychology | The Operational Triangle"},"content":{"rendered":"<body><p><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Police Psychology | Take the Operational Triangle Home<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">by Doug Gentz, Ph.D. Psychological Services<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The operational triangle was developed to provide a graphic way to represent priorities for officers in the field. At the base <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"4876\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?attachment_id=4876\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Operational-Triangle.jpg?fit=556%2C463\" data-orig-size=\"556,463\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"operational-triangle\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Operational-Triangle.jpg?fit=556%2C463\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4876 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Operational-Triangle.jpg?resize=300%2C250\" alt=\"operational-triangle\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Operational-Triangle.jpg?resize=300%2C250 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Operational-Triangle.jpg?w=556 556w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>of the triangle is <strong>Officer Safety<\/strong> which always comes first. The middle level of the triangle is about building <strong>Rapport<\/strong> which involves interacting with other people in a way that creates or enhances a relationship and increases your ability to exert the power of influence. <strong>Problem Solving<\/strong> is at the top of the triangle and could be as simple as giving someone directions to the bus station or as complex as making a successful case against a homicide suspect. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">As opposed to <strong>influence<\/strong>, problem solving relies on the power of <strong>authority<\/strong>, meaning you can make something happen that eliminates the problem. Your directions relieve the lost pedestrian\u2019s ignorance about the bus station and the case you build against the murderer takes him off the street. Somewhere in between is arresting a drunk driver. When you\u2019re through solving a problem, you can usually go 10-8.<\/span><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">People in general, not just police officers, have a very strong urge to skip the middle of the triangle (Rapport) and go straight to the top (Problem Solving) regardless of the very real limits of our authority. Sad to say, our perceived control is usually wildly exaggerated compared to the actual control we have over most situations. Fortunately many problems will fix themselves if we work from the middle of the triangle and put some energy into making and enhancing the common ground we have with the other person.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Very often the best choice may be to stay in the middle of the triangle and exert the <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"4879\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?attachment_id=4879\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/authority-influence-continuum.jpg?fit=407%2C290\" data-orig-size=\"407,290\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"authority-influence-continuum\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/authority-influence-continuum.jpg?fit=407%2C290\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4879 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/authority-influence-continuum.jpg?resize=300%2C214\" alt=\"authority-influence-continuum\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/authority-influence-continuum.jpg?resize=300%2C214 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/authority-influence-continuum.jpg?w=407 407w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>power of influence.The weight of that power is based on the strength of the relationship you\u2019ve developed with the person you\u2019re dealing with. There are a multitude of situations when you\u2019re better off arranging to <strong>let<\/strong> people have things your way instead of <strong>making<\/strong> them have things your way. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">This is especially true at home. There are actually very few differences among family members that boil down to \u201cright or wrong.\u201d Instead, most are matters of different preferences. So, the next time you think your spouse or child has done something \u201cwrong\u201d just ask yourself if the dispatcher will send a car if you call 911. If not, then it\u2019s probably something you just don\u2019t like and using influence (like Active Listening skills) might be a better option.\u00a0 You see there is a world of difference in the reaction you receive depending on where you are in the Operational Triangle.\u00a0 The right choice can make your home life a whole lot easier.<br>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Site Administrator:\u00a0 <span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em>Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D. ABPP<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em>Please share this article from down below.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em>Please join the email list on the top of the sidebar and you can get these sent to your email.\u00a0 Also follow me on Twitter for other articles and ideas, and YouTube at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCfjNw0510ipr3bX587IvAHg\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCfjNw0510ipr3bX587IvAHg<\/a> .<br>\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Feel free to donate if you like the site.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 168px; left: 20px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 711px; left: 589px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 711px; left: 589px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c  no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 231px; left: 20px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Police Psychology | Take the Operational Triangle Home by Doug Gentz, Ph.D. Psychological Services The operational triangle was developed to provide a graphic way to represent priorities for officers in the field. At the base of the triangle is Officer Safety which always comes first. The middle level of the triangle is about building Rapport [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17168887,1],"tags":[17168971,17168969,17168803,17168797,17168970],"class_list":["post-4875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-leadership","category-stories","tag-influence","tag-operational","tag-police","tag-police-psychology","tag-power"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3221,"url":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=3221","url_meta":{"origin":4875,"position":0},"title":"Police Psychology | Not-So Fantastic Four","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"July 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology | Not-So-Fantastic Four by Gary S. 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