Report Suggests Creating Mental Health Programs for Police
The report found that very few departments are prepared to respond to officer trauma.
Officers may experience trauma responding to everyday events like car crashes, suicides or domestic violence.
A report by the Department of Justice recommended that police departments develop mental health programs for officers who experience trauma.
The 140-page report, created with police consultation, encouraged departments to partner with mental health service providers, create peer support systems and use mental health incident commanders, among other things.
The report found that almost all departments prepare their officers for emergencies like mass shootings, but few are prepared to handle the psychological consequences of those incidents.
Trauma can be experienced by officers in major emergencies like shootings and more common events like car crashes, suicides and domestic violence, the report states.
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Director of Advocacy for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Jim Baker says departments still have a long way to go handling officer trauma.
“Are we there yet? No,” Baker told the Star Tribune. “That’s why this report is so significant because it raises awareness.”
Studies have shown that suicides occur at a higher rate for police officers than the general public.
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