Why departments need to develop mental health programs for cops [

Samantha Sangenito 6/30/164:00 AM

The job of the police officer is one of the most stressful occupations in the world. Research has shown time and time again that police officer occupational stress is directly related to higher rates of heart disease, divorce, sick days taken, alcohol abuse, and major psychological illnesses such as Acute Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety Disorders.

Stress for police officers consists of an accumulation of exposure to horrific events witnessed and intervened upon while in the performance of their duties, but even a single event can bring on monumental stress. Debilitating stress can also occur from a hostile work environment within an officer’s department. These events overwhelm normal intellectual controls, as well as psychological coping mechanisms.

[For more of this story, written by Richard L Levenson Jr, go to https://www.policeone.com/heal...h-programs-for-cops/]

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Leckey HarrisonMember

Indeed. Emergency response is tough work. The level of secondary trauma is quite high, I'm sure. It was to us firefighters, anyway, and we never had to pull a weapon or, for the most part, never had one pulled on us.

Two things need to change around this in regards to the culture: an understanding of how the human organism responds to stress and relative training on how to release it, and a change in the macho culture.

I heard in my former district they recently mentioned PTSD and self care. Wow. What a step forward that is. And that;s the extent of training. And that's the problem. There is no training around that. For an LEO, admitting to mental health issue and/or PTSD can cost you your job. The same with firefighters. I know those who have.

7/1/166:20 AM

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