What phenomenon might an officer experience if they start to see situations in slow motion?

The phenomenon of experiencing situations in slow motion during high-stress or critical incidents is referred to as perceptual distortion. This is a psychological and physiological response where the brain processes events at a quicker pace, leading to a feeling of time stretching or slowing down. Such distortion allows individuals to focus intensely on immediate threats or important details, making it seem as though time is unfolding more slowly than usual.

This experience is often reported by individuals involved in high-pressure situations, such as police officers during critical incidents, and is tied to the body’s fight-or-flight response. Being able to perceive events in this manner can, in some cases, enhance decision-making and situational awareness under duress.

While the adrenaline rush might contribute to heightened alertness and physical readiness, it is the perceptual distortion specifically that accounts for the experience of slow-motion perception. Enhanced reflexes pertain more to physical reactions rather than cognitive processing speed, and time dilation is a broader concept typically discussed in more theoretical or physics-related contexts rather than in the immediate psychological experience of a stressful event.