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Depression and suicidal thinking in policing are more com- mon than once thought. In a 2020 study of police officers in Dal- las, Texas, 24 percent of the officers had positive screenings for a mental health issue and 12 percent admitted to having a mental health issue during their life, but only 17 percent had reached out for help (Jetelina et al., 2020). In this study, Dallas officers contin- ue to report four barriers to seeking treatment, which are: 1) the inability to identify when they are experiencing a mental illness; (2) concerns about confidentiality; (3) belief that psychologists cannot relate to their occupation; and (4) stigma that officers who seek mental health services are not fit for duty. To address these four barriers, consider the following:
1. Help yourself and other officers understand their need for treatment. It is important for officers to have a better understanding of officers’ common issues, which include, which include symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-trau- matic stress disorder and alcohol abuse. If you are having symptoms, get treatment instead of suffering in silence. It is common for an officer to feel, “I am not like the mental- ly ill person who calls 911.” It is important for officers to understand that is a continuum of mental health — some mild and some severe. Remember that, generally, the calls for mental health service are on the severe side of the con- tinuum.
2. Confidentiality is important to mental health providers, and they are bound by law to maintain your confidential- ity or risk losing their license. The First Responders Well- ness Center has seen officers for more than 11 years and has never been subpoenaed for progress notes regarding
a shooting, despite seeing many officers who have been in
an OIS.
3. There are therapists who specialize in police and public
safety. You can find therapists that do have a better under-
standing of police culture.
4. Stigma can only be changed when we start accepting that
more officers are dying by suicide than in the line of duty, so we have to accept that “the job” does affect us and we are human, too. We must also understand that all humans who are exposed to multiple traumas and constant criti- cism are at more risk for developing a mental illness.
Remember, officers in general are some of the most resilient people. That is how you became the police and passed all of the tests required for the profession. If you are experiencing some anxiety, depression or other mental health symptoms: 1) it is nor- mal — studies show a quarter of officers are experiencing mental health issues; 2) evidenced-based therapy helps; 3) in therapy, you should have goals and develop coping skills for recovery, not just talk; and 4) you will likely recover, because you have been re- silient and treatment works.
Dr. Carrie Steiner is a nationally recognized police psychologist and trauma expert who is a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of the First Responders Wellness Center, a private-practice, full-service agency to meet the needs of police and first responders’ emotional wellness. Dr. Steiner is a 13-year former Chicago Police Officer, Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator, peer support mem- ber and Chicago Police Academy instructor. While working for the Chicago Police Department, she spearheaded its veteran CIT train- ing and autism spectrum training for law enforcement.
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