Thin Blue Mind / Smokey Heroes
Police Psychology | Detecting Bombs
by Matthew Sharps, Ph.D. and Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D. ABPP
Archive for the ‘Stories’ Category
Police Psychology | The Operational Triangle
Posted: December 8, 2016 in Rank and Leadership, StoriesTags: influence, Operational, police, police psychology, power
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 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. Problem Solving 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.
As opposed to influence, problem solving relies on the power of authority, meaning you can make something happen that eliminates the problem. Your directions relieve the lost pedestrian’s 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’re through solving a problem, you can usually go 10-8. (more…)
Police Psychology | Becoming a Psychological Investigator When No One Asked Me To
Posted: October 24, 2016 in StoriesTags: investigations, police psychology, police stress, psychological investigator
Police Psychology | Becoming a Psychological Investigator When No One Asked Me To
by Marla Friedman Psy.D.,
I just finished watching Detective Gary Traver’s video, The Joy of a Missing Person Case. I know exactly what he means. I am a police psychologist
who has a full-time therapy practice, trains chiefs of police, FTO’s and rank and file officers as well as publishes articles nationally on mental health and suicide prevention. I love all that I do with law enforcement.
However, my secret wish, when I heard there was such a job, was to become an FBI profiler. Too bad, so sad. I was too old, and I don’t run fast or jump high. So I decided to create my training program to learn how to investigate crimes. How happy was I to find that some of the top investigators from the FBI, NYPD and other departments and associations were teaching during their off time or their retirement. At the time I didn’t realize that some of these people were the developers of profiling at the FBI behavioral unit. I learned so much from Robert Ressler and Roy Hazelwood. I took the basic and advanced courses in “the Reid Method.” I learned how to detect deception from Avinom Sapir, and did a 24-hour training with Vernon Geberth forcing myself to look at all kinds of nasty pictures until I could read his book and eat my lunch at the same time (not easy and a wonderful weight loss method.) I did ride a-longs, field interviews, went to jail to talk to bad guys, watched interviews through the two-way mirror, wrote up psychological analysis on cold cases; you name it I did it. I attended everything I could, even when told, “no psychologists allowed!” I found a way to talk myself in. So, my adventure began! (more…)
