THE BADGE OF LIFE

The “MENTAL HEALTH CHECK”

"Suicide Prevention" is an important part of our police mental health training effort in law enforcement, but it's only one half of the forumla. It can never be enough that we only sit and wait until our officers are in crisis or are suicidal before we act. We must have programs that begin in our academies and that devote the time, every year, to preparing our officers for the emotional hazards of the job before they they reach the "trouble point!"

"Ask for help when you need it" still applies, but it is no longer enough. Now it must be, "Know yourself and be ready for trouble before it happens!"

This is where the Emotional Self-Care (EST) training is vital in our police agencies. It is the "second part of the formula" needed to finally begin reducing suicides. In addition, however, it is also the key to creating a healthier, more balanced workforce that is better equipped to deal with the stresses of the job and the traumas before they happen. When they do occur, no longer will they be a mystery and no longer will we encounter the resistance and delay in getting treatment. Having already been exposed to therapy and resiliency development, officers will have already (directly or indirectly) worked on their resiliency and, most important of all, will have the resources/therapists to turn to and the help available.


	Read the poignant story behind this photograph at ForgottenPhoto

RESILIENCE

Every cadet, every police officer has a certain amount of resiliency, or they wouldn't have made it as far as they have. Resilience is, simply put, the "ability to bounce back." Resilience is an individual thing and not a classroom exercise. There are no simple "formula's" that can be put on a chalkboard or powerpoint. Its development is reliant on the officer's personal history and strengths. The development of this characteristic, however, is the key to preparing officers for the challenges ahead--the stressors and the trauma.

The key to this kingdom is held by the therapist, who can work with the officer as incidents are experienced, reviewed and lessons learned. Instead of merely saying, "I made it," the past year's experiences are an opportunity to build and grow--and enhance one's resiliency. There is no better way of ensuring a solid defense against PTSD, or providing an officer the means of recognizing instantly when he is facing its potential. We have identified the following elements as crucial to the development of one's resilience:

Commitment to finding meaningful purpose in life
A belief in one’s ability to affect the outcome
A belief one can learn and grow as a result
Acceptance (particularly the acceptance of what one does not like)
Self-reliance
Spirituality (which need not be religious)

The development of resiliency in a career officer becomes really exciting when the individual goes beyond these suggestions and begins to develop a list, or characteristics unique to them. They must have this freed, and that's why resiliency development is a therapy and not a classroom exercise!

Focusing on resiliency and the ability to both learn and nurture gives a crucial element of hope in a world that officers find threatening and, often secretly, confusing. It also provides them an excellent opportunity to develop this wonderful skill in therapy.

As a tool for the law enforcement officer, it is as valuable as one’s ability to pump iron and one's prowess on the range.

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WHO WILL GO (TO THE THERAPIST)?

First, it had better be the management of the department. This is the "leadership" component, the example without which any program fails, especially this one.

MANAGEMENT: Are you (the chief and your staff) willing to be among the first, and go to several visits, and share your visits, uncomfortable as they may be, with your troops? If you're not willing to do this thing for your people, you will fail and mental unhealth and suicides will continue under the same old, tired programs.

PEER SUPPORT OFFICERS: Don't try to predict who is receiving the message and who may take advantage of the annual therapy visits. From our experience, the one who looks most resistant may go. The one who looks the most responsive may also go. Or not. It may take time for it to settle. If they do go, one visit will undoubtedly turn into a couple of more. Some will do the "token visit" and give up (for now).

Officers should be encouraged (not coerced) to go even if they don't think anything is "wrong." That's the key to proactive mental health for an occupation that is under constant emotional fire.

Once again, the key is management. It's important that you focus yourself on the financial gains from this program, which is common sense and free!

If they don't go, year after year, what have you gained? First, you have impressed in them, over and over, that there is a place they can go to improve themselves, deal with issues great or small, and seek help. They know how to do it. They know what resilience is. They have access to the tools. They also have ears--in time, with the support of management and management participation, they will hear other officers speak of their experiences in therapy. By the very nature of the process, they will learn through talk of programs like AA and other 12 step/recovery programs.

It may take time. Remember, we are changing an old culture. Remember, we are also, at a rate of 50,000 per year, infusing law enforcement with new officers far more receptive to the importance of mental health and couseling to their success. We are convinced that, through these positive programs we can, in ten years, make significant inroads not only in police suicides, but in the health and well being of our entire police force.

Again, it's up to you, the managers to not only support, but show support by your participation.

These are the things that happen when a POSITIVE environment is encouraged and nurtured within a department. It is the direct opposite of gory power points and depressing stories of dead officers. Instead of focusing on what can be lost, the Badge of Life program focuses the officer on what can be gained by making his mental health as important as his physical health and his prowess on the range, his spouse as important as his sergeant.

CRITICAL VS CUMULATIVE PTSD

Critical Incidents are like Mack trucks--the big, catastrophic events that can cause posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among police officers and can lead to suicide.

Departments with programs spot them right away: the shootouts, the loss of a partner, the death of a child. All systems are “Go.” Debriefings are held. Referrals to professionals are made when appropriate. Prompt action can greatly minimize, if not eliminate, the impacts of PTSD.

Cumulative PTSD,* however, is like one bumblebee sting after another. These are the incidents that aren’t “headliners,” that are missed by everyone, even the officer. They mulitply over the years. These bumblebee stings are the “dirty little secrets” of law enforcement: the shames, the mistakes, the repeated "routine" horrors, the betrayals, abuses and the dark fears only the officer knows and shares with no one, not even peer officers. We call them the "soul woundings" of law enforcement. After years, it may take only a minor incident (or none) to trigger a breakdown or suicide.

Make no mistake—cumulative PTSD is deadly. And for every police suicide, there are a thousand more officers still working and suffering from cumulative trauma. Departments suffer from them as well--through increased sick leave, citizens’ complaints, lawsuits and personnel actions.

Some of these are happening on departments with good suicide prevention programs. If everyone knows the standard list of "warning signs" to look for, why are they slipping under the radar? Why were they really missed? Was the officer that good at maintaining a facade? (now, think a moment--we train them to maintain facades!).

Are some merely putting on selective blinders to protect themselves and sending the widows away without support? We fear this is the case far too often.