Commonly, officers who have been involved in shooting situations say that they were briefly surprised by the actions of an assailant. This is sometimes a result of a mind-set in which calls for service are thought of as routine. A sure way to keep your mind sharp and alert is to think of the worst possible scenario that could occur on every call. This mental process will keep your mind alert and prepared for action, yet still allow for the proper level of confrontation on any one particular call.