Policing Isn’t a Game: Why Officers Need Training on Par with Professional Athletes

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The comparison between a police officer and a professional athlete may seem unusual at first, but it highlights a crucial issue. Both professions operate under intense public scrutiny, and both are expected to perform flawlessly. But here’s the difference: professional athletes train at a level that prepares them to avoid costly mistakes, while police officers are held to an even higher standard—one where a single error can mean life or death. Despite this, officers rarely receive anything close to the same level of preparation. The public expects officers to perform without error, to make flawless decisions under extreme stress, and to do so without the rigorous, specialized training resources available to elite athletes.