Resilience, Perspective, and the Global State of Policing with Erik Hein

In this deeply thoughtful episode of The Coptimizer Podcast, Patrick Flannelly is joined by Erik Hein, a resilience expert and international trainer from the Netherlands, whose journey from hardship to high-performance leadership offers lessons for police professionals everywhere.

Erik opens up about his difficult upbringing — losing his father to cancer, growing up on the streets, and building himself up through martial arts and academic discipline. From these roots, Erik has forged a career in law enforcement training that blends resilience, mental skills, and tactical fitness with a global outlook on modern policing.

Together, Patrick and Erik examine:

• Mental toughness and the “soul over force” philosophy



• How learned helplessness shows up in policing



• Lessons from European police academies



• The U.S. attrition crisis and recruitment gaps



• How to foster supportive environments that build officer resilience



• The value of mentorship, wisdom transfer, and lifelong fitness