Spirit of the Law
Dr. Steven Davis spearheaded SpiritoftheLaw.org website as a resource for Law Enforcement Administration, EAP units, and other caregivers to those in law enforcement and other initial responders. Those who opt to become First Responders have a high sense of social consciousness - an increased sense of empathy. The officer has powers that even the President of the United States does not have - the power of life and death, power to arrest - and at the same time, is an easy target for those who want to do him or her harm: wearing a uniform and driving a marked and lighted car make the police officer an instantly identifiable target. The officer knows he or she may have to die to defend a member of the public, or may take a bullet from that same individual. No other profession has to wear a bulletproof vest in order to carry out the job of caring for others.
Our hope is to provide resources to help neutralize the toxic effects of being exposed to evil on a continual basis. When an officer is regularly exposed to death, murder, perversion, corruption, dishonesty, and violence, there will be spillovers domestically and professionally. When an officer is experiencing domestic problems, and comes onto duty after a fight with a spouse, he or she puts on the badge and straps on the gun as a dispirited individual. It has been said that the most dangerous individual in society is a spiritually unhealthy and imbalanced police officer. The daily environment of the law enforcement officer makes him or her more highly susceptible to substance abuse, coronary problems and suicide than is the general population. More in law enforcement die from suicide or heart attacks than in the carrying out of duty.
One area of study that has been little explored is the spiritual health and balance necessary for those in law enforcement to achieve and maintain, if a long and successful career is to be expected. The Spirit of the Law is an effort to bring together the experience, expertise, wisdom and insights of those who work within the law enforcement community so as to maximize the benefits to those we serve.
