How Trauma Has Been Recognized in Law Enforcement

For a long time, the mental and emotional scars carried by police officers were often ignored. Before the 1970s, there was little understanding of the mental toll of the job. Officers were expected to handle tough situations on their own. The idea of asking for help was often seen as a weakness.

Mental Health Conditions: What the Numbers Show

Research shows a clear picture of the mental health challenges in law enforcement. Studies show that police officers experience PTSD at much higher rates than the general population. While numbers vary, some research shows that between 7% and 19% of officers may have PTSD, compared to about 3.5% of the general population. Some studies have found rates to be over 35%. While the numbers may vary, the results still show that PTSD in police officers is at a much higher rate than general populations.

Depression and anxiety are also common among police officers, happening more often than in the general population. Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Police Officers: A Review. Beyond mental health issues, Canada sees high rates of suicide in the profession. Police Mental Health Backgrounder. To deal with stress and trauma, some officers turn to alcohol or drugs which is a dangerous cycle that makes existing mental health problems worse. It is important to note that Depression in Law Enforcement happens at a higher rate than average also.

In Alberta, a study showed that police officers report high levels of stress from critical incidents. Research found here. This highlights the need for support and help tailored to the specific challenges faced by officers in the province.

Coping and Support: A Mix of Good and Bad

Police officers manage stress and trauma in different ways, some healthy and some harmful. The way officers cope can have a big impact on their well-being, career, and how they interact with the community.

Healthy Coping:

Some officers find comfort in talking to colleagues who understand the job’s unique challenges. Shared experiences create a bond that can be very helpful in dealing with tough emotions. Many officers use exercise to release tension, manage stress, and stay healthy both physically and mentally. The focus needed for physical training can be a good outlet for bottled-up feelings. Hobbies and interests outside of work offer a needed distraction, helping officers disconnect from job pressures and recharge. This helps them have an identity beyond their role in law enforcement.

Some officers use mindfulness and meditation to center themselves, manage anxiety, and control their emotions better. These methods can help with the hyper-awareness that often comes with trauma. Many officers are seeing the value of professional help, like therapy, to deal with trauma, process experiences, and learn healthy coping strategies. This is a big change from the past when seeking mental health support was seen as a weakness.

Unhealthy Coping:

Not all coping methods are good. Some officers turn to alcohol or drugs to numb the pain, escape from emotions, or temporarily relieve pressure. This can quickly become a dangerous addiction, making mental health problems worse. Emotional numbing, a common response to trauma, involves shutting down feelings and becoming detached. While this might provide temporary relief, it prevents healing and can harm relationships.

Some officers may become more aggressive and irritable, both at work and home. This can be a sign of unresolved trauma, a way of expressing anger that is often misdirected. Social isolation, pulling away from friends and family, can also be a sign of struggling with trauma. This isolation takes away important social support, making things even harder. Denial and avoidance, refusing to admit the impact of trauma, are common defense mechanisms. But they stop officers from seeking help and dealing with the real issues, making the suffering last longer.

Support Systems: Many Resources

Many support systems are available to police officers, but how well they work and how easy they are to access can vary.

Many police departments offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), providing private counseling and referrals for officers and their families. These programs can help with many issues, from stress and trauma to relationship problems and substance abuse. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams are trained to support officers after critical incidents. While the effectiveness of CISM has been questioned, it’s still a common practice in many departments.

Access to mental health professionals, like psychologists and therapists who specialize in trauma, is key. These professionals can provide treatments and support tailored to police officers’ mental health needs. Formal and informal peer support networks give officers a safe place to share experiences, get encouragement, and connect with colleagues who understand. These networks can help break down the stigma of seeking help.

A supportive work culture, where leaders prioritize officer well-being and reduce the stigma around mental health, is vital. This means creating a place where officers feel safe asking for help without fear of judgment or problems with their careers. Chaplaincy services can provide spiritual guidance and emotional support to officers of different faiths. Family support services recognize that officers’ stress and trauma can also affect their families, offering support to spouses, partners, and children.

Programs in Canada

Several programs specifically address the mental health of Canadian police officers.

The Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) program, developed for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), aims to increase mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and build resilience. It provides training to help officers recognize and manage mental health issues. Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR)

Operational Stress Injury Clinics across Canada offer specialized mental health assessment, treatment, and support for veterans, current Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, and eligible RCMP members. These clinics provide a complete approach to dealing with operational stress injuries, including PTSD. Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinics Website

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) provides a wide range of mental health resources and support across Canada, including programs for specific groups.

Impact on Performance and Community Relations

When trauma is not addressed, it doesn’t just affect the officer; it has wide-ranging effects on their job performance, interactions with the public, and the relationship between the police and the community.

• Worse Decision-Making: Trauma can affect thinking, making it hard to make good decisions, especially in high-stress situations. This can lead to mistakes with serious consequences.

• More Use of Force: Officers dealing with unresolved trauma may be more likely to react aggressively or use too much force, even when it’s not needed. This can come from increased anxiety, trouble controlling emotions, or a changed sense of danger.

• Reduced Awareness: Trauma can show up in two opposite ways: being too alert and seeing threats everywhere, or becoming emotionally numb and less aware of surroundings. Both extremes can risk safety and effectiveness.

• Trouble Communicating: Trauma can make it hard for officers to communicate calmly and kindly with the public. They may struggle to calm situations, listen, or build trust, leading to misunderstandings and conflict.

• Loss of Trust: When incidents happen because of an officer’s untreated trauma, it can badly damage the community’s trust in law enforcement. This loss of trust can make it harder for officers to do their jobs and can strain police-community relations.

• More Complaints and Lawsuits: Poor performance and bad behavior from untreated trauma can lead to more citizen complaints and legal action against officers and departments. This can be costly, both in money and public image.

Untreated trauma creates a ripple effect, affecting not only the officer’s well-being but also the safety and well-being of the community they are meant to protect.

Current Trends and Best Practices

Law enforcement is changing, with more attention on addressing trauma and promoting officer well-being. This is seen in new trends and best practices.

• Trauma-Informed Policing: This approach is key to positive change. It focuses on understanding the impact of trauma on both officers and the community. It promotes ways to reduce re-traumatization, build trust, and create positive relationships between law enforcement and the public. It recognizes that both officers and citizens may have trauma histories that affect their behavior. Impact of Stress and Trauma in Police Work: Addressing the Needs of Police - REPORT

• Early Intervention Programs: These programs aim to identify and support officers who may be at risk of trauma-related problems before they become serious. Early intervention can involve regular check-ins, peer support, and access to mental health resources. The goal is to prevent mental health issues from getting worse and to promote early healing.

• Resilience Training: These programs focus on giving officers the skills to manage stress, cope with trauma, and recover from tough situations. Resilience training often includes techniques for controlling emotions, reducing stress, and mindfulness. The aim is to build a stronger workforce that can better handle the challenges of the job.

• Psychological Screening: Some departments are using psychological screening in the hiring process to find people who might be more likely to be affected by trauma or who have existing mental health conditions. This is a preventative step, aiming to select candidates who can better handle the mental demands of the job.

Effective Therapy:

Several therapy types have been helpful in treating trauma in police officers.

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): This therapy is designed to treat PTSD. It involves a process that helps people deal with traumatic memories and reduce their emotional impact. EMDR has been very successful in helping officers overcome PTSD symptoms.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Law Enforcement helps officers identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors linked to trauma. It gives officers practical coping skills for managing stress and tough emotions.

• Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Practices like meditation and yoga can help officers become more self-aware, control their emotions, and reduce stress. These methods can help with anxiety and overall well-being.

Technology

New technologies are playing an important role.

• Virtual Reality (VR): VR is used to create realistic training scenarios and, more and more, for exposure therapy to treat trauma. By simulating traumatic events in a controlled setting, VR can help officers process their experiences and reduce their reactions.

• Wearable Sensors: These sensors can monitor an officer’s physical responses, like heart rate and stress levels. This technology can provide early warnings of potential distress, allowing for timely help and support.

Debates and Controversies

While there’s growing agreement on the need to address trauma in law enforcement, some debates and controversies remain. These discussions show the ethical and practical challenges of finding effective solutions.

• Stigma: The stigma of seeking mental health help is still a big barrier for many officers. Despite efforts to reduce it, many officers fear that asking for help will be seen as a weakness or could hurt their careers. This fear stops many from getting the support they need.

• Support Systems: There are ongoing debates about whether current support systems are enough to meet the needs of all officers. Questions remain about the availability, accessibility, and quality of mental health services, especially in smaller or remote areas. These resources need to be constantly checked and improved.

• Police Union Role: Police unions are important in advocating for officer well-being and pushing for better mental health resources. They are key in shaping policies and programs that support officers’ mental health. The relationship between police unions and management is vital in creating a culture that puts officer well-being first.

• Mandatory Therapy: Some suggest mandatory therapy for officers, especially after critical incidents. Supporters say this would ensure officers get the help they need, while opponents raise concerns about privacy and whether forced therapy would work if officers aren’t open to it.

• Confidentiality Concerns: Officers may hesitate to seek help because they worry about their mental health information being kept private. They may worry that sharing their struggles could lead to problems at work, like being seen as unfit for duty or facing discipline. Clear policies are needed to protect officers’ privacy while ensuring their safety and public safety.

Legal and Policy Considerations

Legal and policy rules are important in addressing trauma in law enforcement, protecting officers’ rights, and ensuring accountability.

• Workers’ Compensation Claims: Police officers who develop PTSD or other mental health conditions because of their work may be able to get workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits can provide money for medical treatment, lost wages, and getting back to work. Laws about workers’ compensation vary by province in Canada.

• Alberta Specifics: The Alberta WCB mental health support recognizes that psychological injuries, including those from traumatic events at work, can be covered. This means that police officers in Alberta who develop PTSD or other mental health conditions because of their job can file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. This provides important support for officers dealing with work-related mental health issues. Psychological Injuries Report from WCB

• Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations: Officers with significant mental health problems may need to be checked for fitness for duty. These checks determine if an officer can safely and effectively do their job. The process must be fair, objective, and respectful of the officer’s rights.

• Confidentiality: Laws protect the privacy of an officer’s mental health information. But there are exceptions, like situations where an officer might be a danger to themselves or others. Balancing privacy with the need to ensure safety is a delicate and ongoing challenge.

• Duty to Accommodate: Employers, including police services, must accommodate employees with disabilities, including mental health conditions, as long as it doesn’t cause too much difficulty. This means police services must make reasonable changes to the workplace or job duties to allow officers with mental health conditions to keep working, as long as it doesn’t create a big problem for the employer.

If you are struggling, reach out to Responders First for support and resources. We are here to help you navigate these challenges and prioritize your well-being.

Don Davis

15+ years of emergency response experience. Passionate about connecting our first responder communities with critical resources. Author of hundreds of articles and guides on First Responders mental health care. When not responding to emergencies, you can find me playing with my dogs, hiking, or enjoying a good book.