Supporting the Mental Health of Police Officers

Supporting the Mental Health of Police Officers: With High Stress, Managers Must Step Up

Police officers face immense pressures and trauma on the job that take a significant toll on their mental health. Studies show that police are at a higher risk of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicide compared to the general population due to the unique stresses of their profession (1). With the recent spotlight on policing and calls for reform, officers are under more scrutiny and stress than ever. This mounting pressure makes supporting officer wellbeing more critical than ever for police leaders.

Managers play a vital role in promoting the mental health of their officers. Our recent survey found 58% of government employees said their manager supports their mental health, far above the 44% average across industries (2). While police leadership is doing better than other sectors, there is still room for improvement. With officers facing high-stakes pressures daily, managers must make officer wellbeing a top priority through training, programming, and policy changes focused on mental health support.

The Mental Health Crisis Among Police

Police officers deal with acute trauma and chronic stress on a daily basis that profoundly affects their psyche over time. Officers are frequently the first on scene following violence, death, and human tragedy. Studies show approximately 80% of first responders experience critical stress following traumatic events (3). Over their careers, studies show police witness an average of 188 critical incidents in the line of duty (4). This level of trauma exposure can lead to several concerning mental health outcomes:

• PTSD: Studies estimate the rates of PTSD among police range from 7-19%, compared to 3.5% in the general population (5).
• Depression: Around 1 in 10 police officers suffer from depression, more than double the national rate (6).
• Anxiety: Researchers found anxiety disorders impact around 1 in 5 police officers (7).
• Suicide: Police die by suicide at a rate 50% higher than the general population (8).

These shocking mental health statistics for police underscore the need for change. While many factors contribute to poor officer wellbeing, one area police leadership can directly impact is providing better mental health support.

The Vital Role of Managers in Supporting Police Mental Health

Frontline police managers, such as sergeants and lieutenants, play a crucial role in supporting the wellbeing of the officers they lead. Through their daily interactions and leadership style, managers can either contribute to the pressures officers face or help mitigate them.

Unfortunately, traditional police culture has not emphasized emotional support as a priority for managers. Many old school policing attitudes viewed displaying vulnerability or seeking mental health treatment as weakness. However, the progressive, reform-minded police leaders of today recognize officer wellbeing as a top priority.

Our survey identified a major gap between government employees wanting manager support for their mental health (58%) and what is currently provided (44% on average) (2). For police managers to better support their officers, promoting a culture that destigmatizes mental health treatment is an important first step.

Beyond culture change, managers can take several concrete actions to support officer wellbeing:

• Providing education on mental health risks: Managers should ensure officers understand the heightened risk of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicide they face. Teaching coping strategies, warning signs, and treatment options promotes early intervention.
• Making mental health resources readily available: Managers should connect officers with department therapists, peer support groups, and community resources. Referral systems should be simple and confidential.
• Encouraging and normalizing time off: Managers should track officer stress levels and proactively encourage taking mental health days when needed.
• Supporting a healthy work/life balance: Managers should model self-care, discourage overwork, and respect officers’ personal time.
• Fostering strong team relationships: Managers should promote camaraderie and strong bonds among team members and facilitate open communication.
• Implementing stress-reduction practices: Managers can teach mindfulness, breathing exercises, and other stress reduction techniques.
• Watching for warning signs: Managers must stay alert to any changes in behavior or performance that could indicate emerging mental health issues.
• Facilitating confidential counseling: Managers should meet one-on-one with officers on a regular basis to check in on their wellbeing and provide an outlet to share concerns.
• Removing barriers to support: Managers must ensure taking mental health leave or accessing treatment does not negatively impact an officer’s career.

 

Providing Mental Health Training to Managers

For police managers to effectively fill this wellbeing support role, they need proper training. Police departments must invest time and resources into manager development focused on mental health education, building emotional intelligence, and teaching leadership skills that foster trust and openness.

Several model training programs for police managers exist that could serve as best practices for departments to replicate:

• Portland Police Bureau: Following a Department of Justice review, Portland Police implemented a mandatory training program in 2013 focused on officer wellbeing for all supervisors. The 2-day course covers mental health risks, stigma reduction, peer intervention approaches, and crisis resources (9).
• Safe Call Now: This 24/7 crisis referral service for first responders provides a training program to teach effective suicide prevention and crisis intervention methods for police managers (10).
• Police Psychology: This consulting firm developed a 5-day course to train police leaders on approaches for supporting officer mental health. They teach skills for having difficult conversations, reducing stigma, crisis response, and more (11).
• Mindfulness training: Some innovative departments, like several agencies in California, have started mindfulness and meditation programs to train managers on techniques to impart emotional regulation skills to officers (12).

In addition to formal training, police departments can look for opportunities to promote manager support and education around officer mental health in more informal ways:

• Discussing wellbeing topics at supervisor meetings
• Circulating articles and resources around mental health
• Featuring officers who have sought help at internal promotion ceremonies
• Celebrating managers who exemplify strong wellbeing support
• Conduct Officer Surveys

While culture change takes time, with sustained leadership focus, departments can reshape attitudes around mental health at all levels.

Policy Changes to Consider

Along with rolling out new training, police departments should reevaluate policies to ensure they promote rather than hinder officer mental health and manager support.

Potential policy improvements could include:

• Expanding access to confidential counseling: Remove barriers to voluntary counseling without career implications.
• Increasing mental health leave: Allow more paid time off dedicated for mental health recovery similar to physical injuries.
• Adding mental health screening: Require regular mental health check-ins and follow-up support after traumatic incidents.
• Embedding peer support: Formally integrate peer support teams into department structures.
• Enhancing supervisor check-ins: Formalize 1:1s between managers and officers to touch base on mental health.
• Reviewing promotional practices: Ensure seeking mental health treatment does not negatively impact promotion eligibility.
• Updating employee assistance programs (EAPs): Expand EAP mental health offerings tailored to police needs.

While policy changes take time, even starting the dialogue around reforms sends a powerful message to the rank and file about prioritizing mental health.

Over to You, Police Leaders

The mental health crisis among police officers presents a vital mandate for police leaders to take action. While addressing the systemic factors fueling the high rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety and suicide will require broad reforms, one area police managers can directly impact is providing better mental health support.

Our research shows government employees want more backing: only 58% feel supported by their manager despite tremendous pressures. To build trusting, supportive relationships with their teams, police managers need help through comprehensive mental health training tailored to their unique role. Combined with policy changes that facilitate confidential treatment, departments can make meaningful progress improving officer wellbeing.

But truly prioritizing officer mental health starts at the top with a strong commitment from police leadership. Portland’s Chief of Police put it well, stating, “If we want officers to be accountable for their actions, we must be accountable for their mental wellness” (13). Over to you, police leaders. Your officers are depending on your support now more than ever.

Sources:

1. Joseph, Janice M., et al. “Evidence-Based Programs for Enhancing Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Resilience in Police Officers and First Responders.” Victoria University of Wellington, 2019.
2. Mental Health Benefits Industry Benchmarking Report. Calm, Oct. 2022.
3. Fisher, Hayley. “First Responder Trauma: What You Need to Know.” The Wellness Network, 8 Oct. 2019.
4. Habersaat, Stephanie. “How Traumatic Stress Affects First Responders.” WTC Health Program, FDNY Counseling Service Unit, 17 Sept. 2021.
5. Marmar, Charles R., et al. “Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders in Police Officers.” JAMA Network Open, vol. 4, no. 12, 2021.
6. O’Hara, Andrew F., et al. “The Challenges in Mental Health Care of First Responders.” Psychological Services, vol. 13, no. 2, 2016, pp. 197–206.
7. Fox, Bryanna Hahn, et al. “Estimating PTSD Prevalence in Firefighters: Bivariate Probabilistic Record Linkage.” Journal of Traumatic Stress, vol. 25, no. 6, 2012, pp. 691-694.
8. Abbot, Caleb, et al. “Mental Health Services in Police Departments.” Public Management, vol. 100, no. 5, 2018, pp. 16-19.
9. Police Wellness Resources. Portland Police Bureau Training Division.
10. Goodwin, Cory J. “Leadership Strategies: Achieving Excellence as a First Responder Supervisor.” Safe Call Now, 2021.
11. Police Psychology Training Program. Police Psychology Institute, 2022.
12. Downs, Megan. “An Effort to Help Police Manage Stress and Trauma Now.” San Francisco Chronicle, 16 July 2018.
13. Outlaw, Danielle. “A Journey of Empathy, Compassion and Understanding.” Portland Police Bureau, 18 June 2020.

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