First, let’s recognize the importance of mental health in law enforcement
Mental health is a critical aspect of law enforcement, as police officers face unique challenges that can significantly impact their mental well-being. The high-stress nature of the job, frequent exposure to traumatic events, and long, irregular hours can take a severe toll on an officer’s mental health. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental illness often prevents officers from seeking the help they need, leading to a higher risk of developing mental health problems.
Law enforcement agencies must recognize the importance of mental health support and take proactive steps to provide resources that help officers manage stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. By prioritizing mental health, agencies can ensure that their officers are better equipped to handle the demands of their job, ultimately leading to improved public safety and officer well-being.
Law enforcement agencies can start important discussions with this affordable training tool
No one has to tell law enforcement officers about the stresses of their job, the strain on their mental well-being, and risk factors associated with day-to-day law enforcement work and occupational stress. Still, research shows suicidal ideation among all first responders is high. Law enforcement officers and firefighters have a 10% higher rate of mental health struggles than the general population, and they are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
In addition to ensuring your agency has high-quality therapists available, peer support programs, and confidential counseling, agencies should consider training programs that show the importance of their work long after an arrest or call is made.
“Regardless of that mental illnesses are frequently discovered; police officers appear to be hesitant to seek mental health care. Interventions that address the stigmas associated with poor mental health and help police officers understand the importance of seeking help could enable improved mental health.”
In other words, stigma about mental health, substance abuse, and suicide — which can fluctuate rapidly in intensity and prevalence — may be the first barrier for law enforcement agencies to overcome in changing the internal culture of police organizations and their approach to law enforcement mental health.
How drug and substance abuse arrests affect law enforcement officers’ mental health
- Regardless of a community’s size, substance abuse accounts for about a quarter of all arrests in the US.
- Emotional trauma can impact someone’s substance use patterns.
- For officers who have experienced a severe life-threatening situation, have been traumatized by visuals, or experienced stories of loss, substances can become an escape.
And in all these and other circumstances, stigma plays a role.
To reduce the blocks and barriers surrounding substance abuse, addiction, and mental health, public safety agencies can use The Addict’s Wake. A special law enforcement version of The Addict’s Wake tells the stories of recovery, relapse, and redemption.
Filmed in Indiana, The Addict’s Wake shows how police personnel, prosecutors, courts, and others in the criminal justice system are turning the tide on addiction, substance treatment, and the associated public safety issues that come with drug and alcohol use.
This version of The Addict’s Wake is made specifically for law enforcement officers, but can apply to other first responders and public safety personnel such as dispatchers and jailers. In the film, law enforcement officers will see themselves working on the streets of small towns and large communities. Many officers will immediately relate to the criminal psychology at play among the testimonies of substance abusers who are now changing their lives. Officers will see how mental health services, coupled with peer support programs, court-ordered treatments, and medical treatments are improving well-being, public safety, and public health.
The connection to community public health and public safety is critical, and The Addict’s Wake shows officers the work they do requires long, sustained efforts by many community service providers.
Further, The Addict’s Wake law enforcement edition comes with a discussion guide designed to facilitate conversation in police academies, training centers, and small groups. The discussions are designed to get officers thinking about their work and understand the latest science and medicine associated with substance disorders, mental health stigma, and more.
Through discussion, peer support, and other mental health support services, The Addict’s Wake can be a small, affordable, and critical piece to improving police officers mental health that brings
- Reduced officer burnout and turnover related to addiction response fatigue
- Improved community relations through more informed addiction response
- Lower risk of officer substance use disorders through better understanding and earlier intervention
- Enhanced officer resilience when dealing with high-stress addiction-related calls
When officers better understand addiction through training tools like The Addict’s Wake, they’re not just learning about substance abuse – they’re gaining insights that can help them process their own experiences and stressors in healthier ways.
Consider these compelling reasons why addiction education directly benefits officer mental health:
- Understanding the science of addiction helps officers depersonalize difficult encounters with substance users, reducing emotional burden
- Seeing successful recovery stories provides hope and meaning in what can often feel like repetitive, frustrating work
- Learning about trauma’s role in addiction helps officers recognize their own potential trauma responses
Additionally, when officers are mentally healthy and well-supported, they’re better equipped to handle addiction-related calls with empathy and effectiveness. This creates a positive feedback loop with better mental health leading to better addiction response, which in turn reduces officer stress and supports mental well-being.
Availability of mental health services in rural areas impact police
Traumatic events, post-traumatic stress disorder, violence, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation are complex matters that vary from person to person. Mental illness does not start or stop with a single film, a single treatment, or a single program. Many officers may benefit from one or a series of services and training programs, and others may not.
Agencies and communities know we must take an “all of the above” approach to community health. The same applies to police mental health services, drug treatment services, and public safety. The COPS program, a division of the Department of Justice, has more about grants, resources, and technical assistance regarding law enforcement mental health and wellness programs.
