Police Under Fire

Over the past few years what has always been a very dangerous and stressful profession has become even more hazardous and challenging. Law enforcement has historically been an unappreciated, underpaid and unheralded occupation and it is becoming increasingly worse. With body cameras, dash cameras, citizen review boards, and media scrutiny law enforcement officers (LEO) are under the gun (pun intended). LEOs are expected to perform their duties without mistakes in a profession in which life and death decisions are made in a split second.

LEOs work for low wages, have odd hour shifts and are often the subjects of citizen complaints which may or may not be legitimate. LEOs are often targets of physical violence, verbal abuse and a general display of disrespect from the communities which they serve. At times, the disrespect is warranted, such as in the awful abuse of power travesty in the Derek Chauvin case in Minneapolis where George Flloyd's life was snuffed out under the knee of former Officer Chauvin. But a strong argument can be made that most LEOs are not abusive and serve the public well. The anomalies and atrocities of misconduct get a lot of media attention, but LEOs get much less notoriety for doing their jobs well under extremely stressful circumstances.

It is no wonder that LEOs are at a higher risk of suicide than any other profession (www.addictioncenter.com, retrieved 9/17/2022, "New Studies Shows Police at Highest Risk for Suicide of Any Profession"). According to this study, no other profession has the same rate of suicides per year. That is a tragic distinction to have.

There are only two professions in which taking a life is not only legally sanctioned but might also be necessary in carrying out their professional duties. Those occupations are military and law enforcement. That is a huge level of responsibility which is unique to these professions. When that daunting level of responsibility is combined with the other stressors of being a LEO, it is not difficult to understand why their suicides rates are so high.

As such, I have prioritized LEOs in my counseling practice, Still Meadow Counseling LLC (SMC). I use Telehealth for SMC clients and meet Idaho clients in person. If a LEO requests an appointment, I ensure that the officer is seen by me as soon as possible and is not placed on a waiting list. I make every effort to see that officer within 24-48 hours, whether in person or via Telehealth. I specialize in treating PTSD, depression and substance abuse, all of which are outsized issues in law enforcement. I was a FBI agent for 31 years and have a good understanding of the responsibilities a LEO confronts.

I helped create a Suicide Prevention Protocol for the FBI, which is most helpful when treating suicidal LEOs.

Click here for more information on PTSD treatment.