By Kristen Ziman For the Beacon-News October 12, 2012 1:12PM

HEATHER EIDSON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER New, improved mug of Aurora Police Lt. Kristen Ziman, columnist for The Beacon News.

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Updated: October 12, 2012 1:12PM

As a police officer, my job description has changed over the years but the one thing that still fascinates me about policing is human behavior.

I was never a psychology major in college but I have come to believe that those entering law enforcement should, at the very least, minor in behavioral science.

When I worked the street, I was puzzled by the way different people reacted to similar situations. I found myself viewing the world as a laboratory and every human encounter was an experiment in social behavior.

I started to analyze the ways in which some people reacted to a traffic ticket. Some would be extremely argumentative and rude while others would receive it politely and respectfully. Of course, you might say that a police officers demeanor sets the tone for the interaction and I cant disagree, so perhaps that is not the best example.

I noted that when responding to traumatic incidents, some crime victims were emotionally strong while others seemed to break down when faced with a similar scenario. Although I noted that people handle death and trauma quite differently, Ill reserve my commentary because reactions to these situations are at the core of emotion and there are many variables involved.

Rather, Im referring to incidents where there is a notable hardship incurred other than loss of life. For example, in responding to burglary victims, it was fascinating to have a front row seat into the layers of emotion that surface when a person was faced with this type of an invasion. Some saw it as a devastating and debilitating blow to their security and peace of mind. Others put it in perspective and even found a way to be grateful that there was no human life harmed.

Excerpt from:
Grace under pressure: Resilience is a rare but valuable character trait