Here I share an article, with some minor changes, that I initially published on LinkedIn.

See this important video of a Law Enforcement Officer assaulting a hospital patient.  Click here for the article/video.

The important topics of ethical intervention and bystander mobilization are made obvious in the video footage, specifically, by their conspicuous absence.

Note how the video came from one Police Officer who was filming the other Police Officer assaulting a hospital patient. Note how, in the additional video footage, healthcare workers were present when a Police Officer assaulted a person in a wheelchair.

There are no innocent bystanders.

There is the person who does the assault. And just as importantly, there are those who stand by, do nothing, and are then culpable for their inaction.

We, as Protection Professionals, should all be training our staff (LEO’s, Security Officers, Nurses, etc.) in the operationalization of ethical intervention and bystander mobilization philosophy, methods, and tactics. There is great work available on these topics.

When wrong-doing occurs in our workplace, our silence is tacit approval.

If we witness inappropriate actions, we must:

1. Assist our co-workers.

2. Fix something when it is going wrong.

3. Stop something that is wrong.

4. No matter what, write a complete and truthful report.

Everyone in our line of work (LE, Security Industry, Healthcare, and others) should adopt a Protector Mindset which is simply that: Others are safer because of my presence.  Indeed, this mindset is valuable for any human being.  Life in general would be saner, safer, and more harmonious, if more humans walked about looking out for their fellow human beings.

Those who adopt a Protector Mindset keep their patients, visitors, staff members, prisoners, community members, and fellow human beings safer. Those who adopt and embody a Protector Mindset, with trained methods and tactics to go along with it, are Ethical Protectors.

Farewell!