OSU student applies psychology to law enforcement career

As Samuel Lian set foot in the Tulsa Police Department (TPD) for the first time, a profound sense of responsibility washed over him.

The original feeling of displacement faded as he became a familiar face to the officers and detectives he shadowed as a TPD intern. Laughter and camaraderie filled the offices of TPD as Lian formed a casual relationship with his summer coworkers.

But as quickly as the month and a half long internship began, it was over, leaving Lian eager to return to policing after completing his education.

Lian, an undergraduate senior psychology major, plans to pursue a Master’s degree in forensic psychology and a career as a police officer once he graduates.

The internship aligned with Lian’s goal of embodying empathy to improve the relationship between a community and its police officers.

Similar to those he hopes to help, Lian’s goal has not always been met with respect.

“Recently, a supervisor even laughed when I shared my career goals,” Lian said. “But instead of letting that discourage me, it made me even more determined.”

After all, Lian is no stranger to challenges.

Lian’s early childhood memories are soiled by a sense of unfairness. Political turmoil forced Lian and his family to flee their home country of Myanmar in 2005, and in 2007, his family moved to the United States under the guise of refugee immigrants.

He described a childhood plagued with abuse and darkened by the death of a family member.

“It made me sad and frustrated, and I kept hoping someone would step in and make things right,” Lian said. “As I got older, I realized no one was coming; I had to save myself.”

Now, his intentions span beyond personal interest. Lian’s personal struggles sparked an interest in psychology, and his process of self healing evolved into a passion for others.

Lian described human behavior, empathy and communication as integral to effective policing. These core values translated to a unique philosophy to interviewing that Lian said produces more effective conflict resolution than traditional methods. “I believe in the unorthodox methods in the U.S. of questioning suspects to where they can speak comfortably without raising their stress indicator too much,” Lian said. “People tend not to cooperate when their stress level is too high. This technique, called PEACE, has been popularized in England, compared to Reid’s nine steps of interrogation the U.S. uses.”

Unlike many of his peers, Lian’s values have withstood reality, and he has seen the crimes and community stress- ors that rarely qualify as breaking news.

Lian said one of the most surprising aspects of his internship was the quantity of drugs confiscated by TPD. Methamphetamine consistently led the pack in volume, and Fentanyl made the top three despite its potency.

Lian said identity theft was equally prevalent. Lian said cases involving senior citizens were particularly troubling, as the victims arrived at the station disoriented and upset, demanding an immediate solution to a problem with no simple fix.

“It’s disheartening to see the frustration on victims’ faces, but knowing that we are helping them regain control over their lives in some way was a rewarding aspect of my time as an intern,” Lian said.

These experiences only solidified Lian’s passion for policing.

“I know that being a police officer can be dangerous, but I also know that it’s what I’m meant to do,” Lian said. “I don’t want to do anything else besides law enforcement. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to protect and serve my community.” entertainment.ed@ocolly.com