All Force Decisions are Value-Laden Decisions In order to comprehend the emotional magnitude of force decisions we must know and understand that all force decisions are value-laden decisions. That is, the decision to use force is a uniquely individual decision that cannot be separated from what the officer, at his or her core holds most dearly—the relative value of one’s own life when weighed against another being. The single point of failure—of these value-laden decisions we so highly prize—occurs at an intersection where emotions are derived. This intersection is biological, psychological and social. (Biopsychosocial) You will recall that most police training relies on cognitive skills, as in shoot/no-shoot decision training. A missing component from our training is the management of emotions. Most trainers will rely on inducing stress through time compression and the application of external variables such as the threat of pain with impact munitions. This training protocol is insufficient because it does not address the very essence of the human being. I wrote an article on this in March. The title is: The Role of Emotional Solvency in Police Performance: Addressing The Failure To Engage