Which of the following is a method officers can use to recognize and mitigate personal bias in decision making?

• A. Ignoring training and reviewing biases
• B. Training, self-reflection, peer review, and adherence to objective criteria
• C. Acting on gut feeling without reflection
• D. Relying on stereotypes

Answer: (B)

Recognizing and mitigating personal bias in decision making relies on a structured, ongoing approach that builds awareness, accountability, and fairness. The best method combines formal training to expose common biases and teach ways to counter them, ongoing self-reflection to notice one's own patterns in real time, peer review to bring in diverse perspectives and catch blind spots, and strict adherence to objective criteria such as policy guidelines, verifiable facts, and consistent risk assessments. This mix creates checks and balances: training provides the tools, self-reflection keeps bias in check, peer review adds external accountability, and objective criteria ensure decisions are based on evidence rather than impressions or stereotypes. When decisions are made quickly or without reflection, bias can slip in and distort outcomes. Relying on stereotypes and acting solely on gut feelings without reflection undermine professional standards and fairness.