Police stress, PTSD, suicide, and general wellness are all topics of concern for police leaders, officers, their families, and our community leaders. Although police agencies have not always been proactive in addressing wellness and safety, it remains a tremendous problem, particularly in an era where police are scrutinized, filmed, and recorded for every citizen interaction. Much of the reporting is biased and incorrect. There is merit in mandatory health and wellness programming. There is merit in allowing and encouraging officers to seek mental health help without fear of losing their jobs. We must protect the more than 750,000 police officers in our country and ensure their long-term health and wellness is maintained. The question is how to do this? What is the best way to ensure health and wellness? Would an after-action style review be more effective it if were employed after shifts that are particularly traumatic? Would it be helpful if officers were afforded the opportunity to have a post-shift de-stressing session to vent about their experiences and concerns? Provide a response to these questions that is supported by relevant literature and/or the textbook.

For each thread, students must support their assertions with at least 3 scholarly citations

Sample Solution

An after-action style review would certainly be more effective in providing officers with the necessary tools to cope with traumatic shifts. After-action reviews can allow officers to discuss their experiences, which could decrease the chances of developing PTSD and psychological trauma (Kuppens et al., 2019). This gives supervisors a better understanding of how their officers are coping after particularly challenging shifts and provides them with an opportunity to provide feedback or support if needed.

Sample Solution

An after-action style review would certainly be more effective in providing officers with the necessary tools to cope with traumatic shifts. After-action reviews can allow officers to discuss their experiences, which could decrease the chances of developing PTSD and psychological trauma (Kuppens et al., 2019). This gives supervisors a better understanding of how their officers are coping after particularly challenging shifts and provides them with an opportunity to provide feedback or support if needed.

In addition, it would also be helpful for police departments to offer some type of post-shift de-stressing session for their officers. Such sessions could include stress management techniques such as mindfulness and relaxation exercises (Brewer et al., 2011), or even counseling from qualified mental health professionals (Davies, 2016). These sessions would give officers a chance to debrief about their experiences and learn new skills that may help them cope with future stressful situations.

Furthermore, police departments should consider implementing mandatory mental health screening programs for all employees in order to ensure overall wellness. Such programs can help identify any potential risk factors for mental health issues early on, leading to quicker intervention and support (Nair & Silverman, 2020). Additionally, police agencies should make sure that they promote a culture where seeking out mental health services is not seen as taboo or career ending—quite the opposite: it should be encouraged and supported by both management staff and fellow colleagues alike (Fogelman & Lipschitz-Elhawi, 2018).

References:
Brewer J., Elwafi H., Davis J., Witkiewitz K.. 2011. Mindfulness meditation for Substance Use Disorders: A systematic review. Psychology of Addictive Behaviours 25(3): pp 369–379 doi 10/1037/a0023253
Davies C..2016 Psychological Therapy Services within Police Forces: The Need For Change? British Journal of Community Justice 14(2):pp 36–50 DOI 10/1080/1471773X.201601215212
Fogelman E & Lipschitz-Elhawi D.. 2018 Mental Health Interventions in Policing – Is Now The Time? European Journal Of Psychotraumatology 9(sup7) https://doi org//10/1080/200081980178751560
Kuppens P Et Al…2019 Stressor Reactivity Moderates Working Memory Performance Following Traumatic Stress Exposure Clinical Psychological Science 7(4): pp 593–605 do 10/117714688844100004420 Nair M & Silverman S.. 2020 Enhancing Mental Wellbeing of Police Officers Through Screening Proceedings Of Human Factors And Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64(1):pp 896–900 doi 103040222020CHI00283

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