What is the first step to teaching officers to be emotional survivors?

• A. Kevin Gilmartin
• B. Recognize the problem
• C. Build peer support networks
• D. Seek professional counseling

Answer: (A)

Recognizing the problem is the first step. Understanding that stress and emotional strain from police work are real and common is essential because you can’t begin to cope, train, or seek help effectively until you acknowledge there’s an issue. In the field of emotional survival for law enforcement, awareness of the problem is the foundation that makes later actions possible—awareness opens the door to training, support, and resilience-building. Kevin Gilmartin’s work highlights this starting point: without recognizing the problem, strategies like peer support or counseling won’t be as effective. Once the problem is acknowledged, officers can move toward building support networks and accessing professional help, but those steps hinge on recognizing that there is something to address.