Guardian vs. Warrior Mentality in Law Enforcement: Re-evaluating Training

Creating stronger human connections and community engagement are essential elements of the law enforcement profession. This webinar will discuss how current law enforcement training philosophies may contribute to a warrior mentality. The warrior mentality can prevent efforts to improve public perceptions of police legitimacy.

Attendee Takeaways:

1. Current state of law enforcement training
2. Understanding the importance of police legitimacy
3. What can be done to mitigate the warrior mindset

Thomas obtained an Associate of Applied Science in police science from Southside Virginia Community College prior to earning his Bachelor of Science in the administration of justice from Virginia Commonwealth University and his Master of Science in administration-human resources administration from Central Michigan University. Thomas has also attained the Associate in Risk Management-Enterprise Risk Management designation. As a police officer for 14 years, Thomas worked in narcotics, community policing and patrol.  He joined Virginia Risk Sharing Association in 2006 as a law enforcement specialist and was promoted to director of education and training in 2018.