Beyond the Split Second - Police and Military in Training and Action

Written by a scholar with firsthand experience as a police officer, military officer, and fire service commander, this book offers a rare and compelling combination of academic insight and operational expertise. It provides a unique perspective for professionals and researchers working in the domains of use of force, public order, and high-risk operations within both military and policing contexts – as well as for those involved in the training, education, and leadership of personnel operating in such environments.

The outcome of a potentially violent situation is not determined in a single moment of action, but is shaped by a complex interplay of factors long before that so-called split second occurs.

Beyond the Split Second - Police and Military in Training and Action presents the findings of an extensive empirical study involving over 1,900 police officers and military personnel. Drawing on data from 1,250 scenario-based training exercises and 430 real-time observed incidents, this book examines how personal characteristics, decision-making processes, tactical planning, and communication skills contribute to the development and resolution of (potentially) violent encounters.

It explores the concept of tactical decision-making under stress, the impact of mental and physical fitness, and the role of situational awareness and response strategies in high-stakes environments. In doing so, it sheds light on the often underexamined cognitive and behavioral dimensions of use-of-force decisions.

Through close collaboration with frontline personnel and instructors – both in scenario-based training and during real-time operations – this work offers unique and in-depth insights into how police and military professionals can be better prepared for operational duties in complex, dynamic, dangerous, and uncertain contexts.