Editor’s Note: This is the seventh installment of Ask Tung, a series featuring Commander Eric Tung. With 17 years of experience in law enforcement, Tung currently oversees patrol operations, wellness and peer support for his agency in Washington State. In each article, Tung shares insights on fitness, wellness and leadership to help officers thrive on and off the job. Have a question you’d like answered next? Send yours to Tung on Instagram @bluegritwellness or bluegritwellness@gmail.com.
“I made a mistake on a recent call, and it’s been bothering me. How should I handle making mistakes as a new officer?”
No one becomes a cop thinking they’ll be perfect, and those who struggle with imperfection often struggle with the job and crumble in training. But in this line of work, mistakes, no matter how small, feel heavier. They can carry serious consequences, and they’re often made in the public eye. Tactical errors. Missed opportunities to lead. Moments when ego got in the way. I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my career and will for as long as I continue in it. What mattered more than the mistake was what I did after.
Mistakes in law enforcement are inevitable because we’re human. But the real test of an officer’s professionalism and ability isn’t whether they make mistakes. It’s how they respond to them. Recovery isn’t just possible. It’s essential. It’s a skill that can and must be developed to build resilience through learning.
Here are the key themes officers need to focus on.
1. Take ownership to ensure learning
It starts with YOU.
Any trainer or supervisor’s biggest pet peeve is when an officer makes excuses. Even shying away from personal authority and decisions in a complicated environment can seem like an excuse.
The first step is full accountability. Not excuses. Not blame-shifting. When you make a mistake — whether tactical, ethical, or interpersonal — you have to own it. This doesn’t mean beating yourself up. Dwelling on or catastrophizing a mistake wastes time, drains energy and blocks learning.
What to do: Recognize what was truly in your control. Reflect, or better yet, take notes. What did you actually do? What decisions did you make? What factors did you underestimate or overemphasize? What are you recognizing that you could have done and will do next time? What would you encourage others to do in that same scenario?
Depending on the situation, this may be enough, or you may want to engage in a conversation with your supervisor, your partners on the call, or the whole crew. That helps support learning, build trust and improve development for everyone.
2. Build a growth mindset
Are you limiting your own potential?
Officers need to adopt a growth mindset. That means seeing every misstep as an opportunity to learn, not a permanent stain on your ability. It also means staying open to feedback from supervisors, peers and the community.
In her book “Mindset,” Dr. Carol Dweck explains the difference between a growth mindset, where you believe you can develop, and a fixed mindset, where you believe you’re stuck where you are. Often, we don’t realize how we create or accept limiting beliefs. We need to challenge these barriers and allow ourselves to rise. I teach, train and present on the power of a growth mindset because it’s so often overlooked and it affects everything we do.
What to do: After a mistake or missed opportunity, reviewing the details and asking the right questions can help break through a limited mindset. Write down what went well so you can reinforce those behaviors. Then go back through the contingencies you considered. Identify better or best-case options. Take a moment to recognize you’ve already learned something and that this lesson will stick with you throughout your career. You may even pass it along to others. When we focus on growth, we open ourselves to more positive and constructive thinking, which drives better future outcomes.
3. Develop emotional resilience
Self-talk matters.
Officers deal with high stakes. So when something goes wrong, it’s easy to spiral into guilt, shame or fear. Emotional resilience means managing that inner dialogue. Recognize the emotion, but don’t let it define you. Talk to a peer or friend. See a therapist if needed. Use your tools.
What to do: We beat ourselves up. But dwelling isn’t just unproductive, it’s harmful to your future performance. Think about how you’d talk to a partner or peer who made the same mistake. You’d give them grace and encouragement. Do the same for yourself.
Focus on the logical process. Trust it, even when your emotions are loud or unclear. Give yourself permission to move forward.
4. Reset quickly to stay mission-ready
Be a goldfish, then a shark.
In the TV series Ted Lasso, the title character tells his athletes to “Be a goldfish.” He’s reminding them to let go of mistakes quickly so they can stay in the moment and perform.
This is especially important for high achievers who hold themselves to impossible standards. Failing to move on quickly can wreck decision-making. It creates paralysis by analysis. This happens often with student officers, and field trainers constantly look for ways to help rookies shake the mental fog.
What to do: When you’re frustrated or embarrassed, remember there’s a time and place for processing — but often, the middle of your shift isn’t it. Staying stuck in a mistake is distracting at best and dangerous at worst. Shift into “shark mode.” Keep moving, keep swimming, and stay mission-focused. With a growth mindset, stay hungry to take the next call and learn from it.
5. Reconnect with your purpose
Return to your “why.”
Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” is a reminder that most people in public service began their careers with a sense of purpose. You had to articulate it in interviews. You still need it now.
Returning to your purpose helps put mistakes into perspective. You’re doing this for your community. To uphold values. To take on the bullies. To stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves. When you revisit those principles, that one mistake on one call feels smaller.
What to do: In times of stress or doubt, I’ve leaned on wellness tools to rebuild my resolve and reconnect with my mission. That’s included talking to peers and friends who’ve known me before I put on the uniform.
Writing a personal mission statement and values helped me see the bigger picture. Journaling and reviewing my purpose has helped me rise above the weeds of frustration and regain objectivity.
Summary
Every officer will face moments they’d rather forget. But the best officers and leaders allow mistakes to refine them, not define them. Start with honesty — with yourself and others. Focus on what you can control and what you can improve.
That mindset is how we learn, prepare for the next call and keep growing as officers and leaders.
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