Today, while shopping for groceries, I passed a fellow shopper wearing a hoodie with the phrase, “Everybody is Fighting Something.” As our carts moved past each other, my first thought was, Cool shirt! My second thought was, I wonder what he’s fighting.
What does it mean to approach others from a place of curiosity?
It’s hard to imagine anyone moving through life without struggle. We all face battles—some visible, some deeply hidden. But struggles should never be a tool for comparison. Instead, imagine a community where we approach every person with the understanding that, at this moment, they may be fighting an unseen battle. Imagine stepping outside of our own fight, even briefly, to connect with someone else. How would acts of kindness and compassion ripple across a community? How many lives would be changed by small moments of generosity?
When I first entered law enforcement, words like compassion, empathy, kindness, and generosity weren’t part of the culture. At least, not when it came to field interactions, especially with those viewed as criminals, drug users, or even victims. Back then, an officer who showed empathy was often seen as weak and, in some cases, a liability.
But the most effective officers, the ones with years of experience, had learned to balance empathy with tactical awareness. They knew how to make human connections. They had seen life’s fragility firsthand, after witnessing countless tragedies. And they had reflected on their own lives enough to realize that, in their own toughest moments, they had either found the clarity to do the right thing—or been lucky enough to have someone show them grace.
Warrior vs. Guardian Mindsets
Today’s law enforcement officers must have extraordinary mental and emotional agility. They must be able to shift between the Warrior and Guardian mindset seamlessly. One moment, an officer is showing deep empathy to someone in crisis; the next, they are making the tough decision to take that same person into custody—for their own safety or the safety of others. This toggling between Warrior and Guardian is simple, but it is not easy. It demands emotional intelligence, persuasive communication, and physical proprioception.
That’s where Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training makes a difference. CIT helps officers understand why people struggle. And in doing so, some officers recognize that they are also fighting their own inner demons—whether from childhood trauma, combat experience, PTSD from the job, or other life challenges.
Through CIT, officers learn and practice empathy. And when they apply it—both professionally and personally—the results are profound. Communication improves. Use-of-force incidents decrease. Connections deepen. Over time, empathy, kindness, and compassion are no longer seen as weaknesses but as powerful tools—just as essential as any piece of equipment on a duty belt.
But like any tool, these skills require practice. They require stepping into discomfort, again and again, until it becomes second nature.
Because at the end of the day, everybody is fighting something. And if we choose to approach each other with curiosity, compassion, and connection, we can make a difference—one interaction at a time.