I have yet to take a class about wellness, police suicide, or general mental health for police officers where stigma around mental health wasn’t the primary focus.
For my readers that aren’t aware, the school of thought is that because there is fear of retribution, looking weak, or general embarrassment, a police officer in crisis won’t reach out for help.
In the past, this was absolutely true. There were agencies that would take an officer off of the streets the second they reached out for help.
Is this still the main problem today?
I don’t think so.
Most agencies provide ample resources for their people that need them. Many agencies are now moving towards hiring culturally competent clinicians that can help officers work through their trauma.
Now I’m not saying that there isn’t a hesitation for officers to get help because of officers being punished for voicing mental health issues in the past, but there are several other blockers that are more of a problem.
Here are some obstacles that officers face when seeking help for mental health issues.
Leadership that doesn’t actually care about them, leading to distrust.
A lack of knowledge about available resources.
Not wanting to put in the work of therapy. Therapy is hard, and most people (not just first responders) struggle making that first step.
Stigma about getting help is still an issue, but there are other problems that more important.
When stigma is the sole focus of an agency trying to make wellness a priority, the obstacles above are missed.
A wholistic approach towards culture change surrounding mental health is necessary to really make change. It will take time, but it is worth it.
I think agencies need help in implementing positivity around mental health as part of their culture, and not just something that is talked about.
So what can agencies do to make mental health more culturally acceptable?
Education - agencies should educate officers not only about the resources available, but what to expect when using said resources.
Create a space for those who have used these resources to talk about their experiences.
STAFF LEADS THE WAY. If officers don't see leadership participating, they'll be less likely to buy in.
Once the mental health and wellness is given the same attention as crime statistics, staffing issues, and proactivity, we will see big changes in how agencies take care of their officers.
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