Warrior vs. Guardian Mentality

In recent years, Law Enforcement has pushed to move away from what many describe as a “Warrior” mentality or mindset.?This push has polarized and split those even within our industry. With one side entrenched in the camp of police are warriors because they face and do battle with the evils of society.?These are often branded as the “old guard” by the opposing viewpoint, which believes that police must adopt a Guardian mindset and fill the role of a protector of society less we will adopt the “us vs them” mindset.?The latter side is often labeled as the “kinder, gentler” style of policing.??The problem is that words mean things, and sometimes they mean different things to different people.?

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “Guardian” as a noun meaning “one who has care over the person or property of another.”?That certainly fails to describe the complexities of what we expect from a member of law enforcement.?Law enforcement only exercises care over another in limited situations and duration.?The Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of a Guardian is “a person who protects something.”?This definition is more what we expect from today’s law enforcement, to protect the citizens we have sworn an oath to serve.?However, even this fails to describe all that we expect from law enforcement officers.?The definition of protect means “to shield,” according to Merriam-Webster, essentially to place ourselves between danger and those that we serve.?Without a doubt, one of the roles we expect officers to take.?But, this means that the threat or danger has already presented and is a reactive approach to safety vs. a proactive, preventative approach.?When Urban Dictionary asked individuals to provide what the word “guardian” means to them, one respondent stated, “it is their role to watch out for those in their care, putting their life?on the line”?Aside from the word care, this is a very accurate assessment of what people expect police work should be. But yet again, only part of the job description.?

The advocates for moving away from a “warrior” culture in police work and moving to that of the role of a “Guardian” will often cite statements along the lines of “society no longer wants officers to have a warrior mindset” or some version thereof.?They claim this creates an “Us vs. Them” mentality by instilling in officers that every encounter is a conflict.?The definition of a warrior in nearly every dictionary reads almost the same. “One who has both experience and skill in fighting” Cambridge Dictionary, or Merriam-Webster’s “one experienced in warfare.”?This is a more aggressive definition than a “guardian” and does not include all the roles officers need to fill.?But an important note, unlike the “guardian,” the “warrior” is expected to hold a particular proficiency and skill level in this task.?The expectations are higher for the warrior. People expect more from the warrior.?So, with the emphasis on fighting in the technical definitions, does the public really look with disdain at the word warrior???Again, Urban Dictionary asked individuals to submit their definitions of what defines the term “warrior.?“A person who, beyond all obstacles, still manages to be successful. A warrior will often be troubled in life but will?persevere?in the end.?… a Warrior will often be down to earth, functioning entirely off of what they perceive as logic. While this can lead to arrogance and stubbornness, a Warrior has a soft center and can be?befriended?with ease by anyone knowing how to reach it.?Often intelligent, strong, determined, and?skillful, a Warrior, despite whatever problems they may have, is perfect. In their own way, each Warrior is perfect.”, “A brave person engaged in a conflict. Who is known for being?fearless?and strong, showing great?vigor, courage, and skill despite the?obstacle. A warrior is someone who fights through everything that tries to bring them down. A warrior is someone who is selfless and resilient. They wake up before dawn and end up going to bed at midnight. They sleep very little because they know they have important people to care for and love. The world would stop without them. In everything they do, they put others first.”?It seems the public has a very high view of the warrior, with no mention of engaging in warfare.?“Perfect,” “intelligent,” “brave,” “courage,” and “put others first” are all the characteristics we seek in today’s law enforcement.

Is a “warrior” better than a “guardian” mentality for officers??No, they are different.?There are times when an officer must become a guardian and shield the innocent with their own lives, for that is the sacrifice an officer must be prepared to make.?This is not kinder or gentler. This is protecting those when it is needed the most.?However, there is also a time for an officer to fight through the obstacle, to aggressively seek those that would prey upon others to prevent them from being able to do so again, to prevent evil from striking in the first place.?In these circumstances, only the warrior holds the skills and experience needed.?So perhaps officers should not choose one mentality but, in fact, embrace both.??Be both the Guardian and the Warrior for those we have chosen to serve.?The true warrior will understand it is not “Us against Them”; instead, it’s “Us FOR Them.”