PTSD and law enforcement: Our protectors need protection

“Every time we don our vest, we are reminded, ‘We may be shot today.’ Every time we check our sidearm, we are reminded, ‘We may have to fight for our lives today or fight for the life of an innocent person. We may have to take a life today.’” 

These words, spoken to me recently by an associate in law enforcement, remind us of what police officers have to face each and every day of their careers. And though there’s much attention these days (rightfully so) on addressing the lack of adequate post-deployment mental healthcare for the militarymen and women serving our country and protecting it from foreign threats, it’s worth asking about the mental healthcare of our domestic defenders – our members of law enforcement. 

{mosads}Combat-related experience, what one naturally thinks of first with regard to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is one among many stressful situations that surpass what our minds are hardwired to handle. Due to the likelihood of exposure to danger and violence, law enforcement officers are also in a high-risk category for developing PTSD. PTSD is, fundamentally, a normal response to an abnormal situation. Those in law enforcement can face threats to their lives at any given moment.The nature of their work means they are continually on high alert, assessing for constant threats and danger. A routine traffic stop can end in a homicide. And while veterans face the issue of how to reintegrate into society upon their return from an intense deployment, law enforcement officers, with an average career of twenty-five years, have to learn to adjust from being on high alert to returning home to a safe zone after each and every work day. 

Despite being tasked with duties that require extraordinary strength on the inside, law enforcement officers are just as susceptible to being emotionally scarred by their experiences as veterans. And their tough exterior can encourage the wrongful perception that, “I’m the one serving the people; I don’t need to be served.” Additional obstacles to those in law enforcement seeking treatment for PTSD include the concern that they may be the subject of scrutiny by peers, perceived as being somehow weak. They may be demoted, and they could even lose their jobs. And some officers don’t realize they’re symptomatic, oreven believe that PTSD exists. What can be done to help them? 

Law enforcement agencies can help reduce the stigma of PTSD through education, starting in the police academy. Agencies alsoneed to ensure that officers understand the possible consequences of seeking treatment. And of not seeking treatment. After all, their job description stipulates that they must inform their superiors if they’re unable to appropriately fulfill their duties. Certainly, a lack of restful sleep and recurring nightmares, having impaired memory and concentration, and hypersensitivity to loud sounds and stressful situations, to name a few symptoms, can all impact job performance. Not seeking treatment can result in errors on the job, the compromising of lives, including their own, and can possibly even result in excessive use of force. And avoiding treatment doesn’t necessarily mean officers won’t feel compelled to resort to unhealthy coping methods. People with PTSD often avoid internal triggers such as flashbacks by abusing alcohol or other substances, and external triggers such as being in large crowds by socially isolating. 

Law enforcement agencies should consider a multidimensional approach to assessing an officer’s mental health, particularly when determining whether an officer is fit to return to duty following a life-threatening incident. While an officer might initially be able to cope, a decline in other areas of his or her life – the officer’s home life, for example – can reduce the threshold for coping, possibly resulting in delayed onset of PTSD symptoms. 

What can we civilians do to help? Develop an understanding and appreciation for what law enforcement does. Don’t allow controversy-driven media to cause stereotyping of all law enforcement. And support a campaign against the vilification of law enforcement officers by condemning the use of derogatory terms (“pig”, for instance). Teach children that people who enter into careers that put their lives in danger for the sake of maintaining order and peace are to be revered. On an individual level, we can do something even simpler. As my law enforcement friend put it, sometimes an ordinary thank you goes a long way. 

We have a shared responsibility to ensure the job-related psychological wounds of law enforcement are identified and treated. Untreated wounds, whether physical or psychological, can cause systemic damage to the person, and, in the worst case, to others. PTSD and its effects in all walks of life require our utmost attention. Let’s make sure we’re extending that attention to those who, day in and day out, serve and protect us right here at home. 

Behinfar is a clinical psychologist who has provided PTSD training to SWAT and law enforcement.