It's an extremely high pressure that we must be able to handle, he says.
To get in as quickly as possible and take control of the perpetrator is top priority.
Every minute can mean lives lost.
At the police academy in Borås, where Niklas Frostmarker teaches, eight lesson hours are devoted to handling ongoing deadly violence (PDV). In addition, instruction on the concept of intervention is also integrated into other parts, such as tactical training.
The PDV moment comes at the end of the training period, since it is one of the most difficult situations for police to handle. Theory is combined with realistic exercises during the training hours. A lot of focus is also placed on the mental aspect.
You should have the mental attitude that it's not if this happens, but when.
Internal Control
One of the techniques for preparing students is visualization, where they themselves create a mental image of how they would behave in such a situation. They also learn techniques for acute stress management.
It's about taking internal control, breathing calmly when I feel that I've gone up too high in tension and talking to my colleagues, so that we mentally prepare ourselves for what we may encounter.
A crucial part of being prepared is also to ensure that the law is second nature, he emphasizes.
— You shouldn't have to stop and think, you should know what you can and can't do.
"Rooted in Our Nature"
But are all police students equally well-suited to meet such situations?
All police students are tested and selected by the Conscription and Selection Agency, so they have the qualities we see that they should have as police officers. But then everyone's mental journey is individual. It's different how far you've come in this and what willpower you build up, says Niklas Frostmarker.
He notes that it's instinctive to resist running towards what everyone else is running away from. But this is something that a police officer should be prepared for every new day on the job.
It's deeply rooted in our nature as police officers to want to handle this type of extreme event and save lives. Who else will do it?
