To promote health and wellbeing and lessen stigma around treatment and care, leaders should integrate wellbeing principles into training, counseling, and intervention programs. Specifically, departments should strive to instill the value and importance of selfcare in all aspects of operations. To understand officers’ needs, department leaders should seek out their input, conduct surveys, and visit roll calls both to promote department assistance programs and resources, and to destigmatize their use. In listening to officers’ needs directly, departments will increase procedural justice, too.

Police departments need adequately staffed employee assistance programs (EAPs) to provide officers with the mental health services and support they need to ensure they can positively interact with communities and deliver fair, safe, and effective services.^[i]EAPs should offer low- or no-cost services, such as confidential counseling, crisis counseling, stress management counseling, and mental health evaluations,^[ii]and they should provide access to mental health hotlines.^[iii]

To encourage use of these services, supervisors should promote them and trainers should publicize them in trainings.^[iv]Professional counselors should be trained in treating substance use disorders, PTSD, intimate partner violence, depression, and issues of particular concern to female officers.^[v]These services should also be available to officers’ partners and families.^[vi]

^[i]C.f.Consent Decree at ¶ 271-72, United States v. City of Ferguson,No. 4:16-CV-00180-CDP (E.D. Mo. 2016), ECF No. 41; Settlement Agreement at ¶ 299, United States v. Cleveland, No. 1:15-CV-1046-SO (N.D. Ohio 2015) [hereinafter Cleveland Settlement Agreement], ECF No. 7-1.

^[ii]See, e.g.,Consent Decree at ¶ 436, United States v. the Mayor and City Council of Balt. and the Police Dep’t of Balt., No. 1:17-cv-99 (JKB) (D. Md. 2017); Settlement Agreement at ¶ 248, U.S. v. Albuquerque, No. 1:14-CV-01025-RB (SMV) (D.N.M. 2014) [hereinafter Albuquerque Settlement Agreement], ECF No. 9-1; Agreement for the Sustainable Reform of the Puerto Rico Police Dep’t at ¶ 201, U.S. v. Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Police Dep’t, No. 3:12-cv-2039 (GAG) (D.P.R. 2013); Consent Decree at ¶ 289–290, United States v. New Orleans, No. 2:12-cv-01924 (E.D. La. 2012) [hereinafter New Orleans Consent Decree].

^[iii]The Ferguson Comm’n, Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equality, at 86 (2015), https://forwardthroughferguson.org/report/executive-summary/overview/ (click “Download Report”, top right corner).

^[iv]New Orleans Consent Decree, supra note 18, at ¶ 292; Albuquerque Settlement Agreement, supra note 18, at ¶ 249; Agreement for the Sustainable Reform of the Puerto Rico Police Dep’t,supra note 18, at ¶ 202. 

^[v]Chi. Investigation, supranote11, at 157-158.

^[vi]Id.at 120.

Departments should provide peer counseling programs so officers can talk with other officers (i.e., peers) who have experienced similar job stressors. Sometimes, officers are reluctant to seek help for coping with stress and trauma because they perceive it as a sign of weakness. Peer support programs help officers who feel this way find validation from people they trust and respect.[i]These programs should complement other departmental supports, and peer counselors should help officers connect with other services.[ii]Volunteer peer counselors should receive training in effective approaches to assist officers who show signs of stress.

Mentoring programs support the kind of long-term relationships that help officers navigate challenges in their personal and professional lives, such as PTSD and trauma, and help applicants during the hiring process and through the transition from community member to officer.[iii]Volunteer mentors should be selected based on healthy personal and professional habits and/or because they have overcome challenges of their own. Officers should be able to request a mentor at any stage in their career and should be matched based on a confidential profile completed by both mentor and mentee.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s mentoring program is cited by the U.S. Department of Justice as a model program. It provides peer support and facilitates officer wellness.[iv]Supported by the department’s Office of Professional Development and Wellness, the program conducts eight-hour wellness training on managing stress and trauma[v]for mentors.[vi]In the program’s first six years, officer disciplinary referrals dropped 40 percent.[vii]

[i]Cole, Zercoe, Cops in Crisis: The Power of Peer Support in PDs, PoliceOne.com (Oct. 20, 2015), https://www.policeone.com/pulse-of-policing/articles/25980006-Cops-in-crisis-The-power-of-peer-support-in-PDs/.

[ii]Id.

[iii]See, e.g., Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Dep’t, Office of Professional Development and Wellness, https://s3.amazonaws.com/destination-zero/2017/DZ%20Conf/Indianapolis-Metropolitan-Police-Department.pdf; Leischen Stetler, Putting Experience to Work: The Value of a Formal Mentoring Program, In Public Safety. (Feb. 25, 2015), https://inpublicsafety.com/2015/02/putting-experience-to-work-the-value-of-a-formal-mentoring-program/.

[iv]Michelle Johnson, Nation’s Top Cop Lauds IMPD for Officer Wellness Program, WFYI (Apr. 13, 2016), https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/nations-top-cop-lauds-impd-for-officer-wellness-program.

[v]SeeOfficer Resiliency and Wellness, Tacoma, Free Training, (June 1, 2017), https://fortress.wa.gov/cjtc/www/administrator/class/5932.pdf; Johnson, supranote 26.

[vi]See Zercoe,supranote 23.

[vii]SeeJohnson,supranote 26.

Mental and physical health are critical for all officers to meet the needs and demands of the job. When departments have the processes and resources in place, and promote wellbeing as a departmental value, they signal to officers that they are invested in their mental and physical health, as well as their safety. Specifically, departments should:

Address mental health. Officers frequently experience violence and the risk of violence, witness traumatic events, and come under heavy criticism, all of which can lead to isolation and job-related stress.^[i]Thus, all new hires should be required to undergo a thorough psychological screening as part of the hiring process. Psychological screenings are designed to identify the kind of mental health problems and personality disorders that interfere with officer performance.[ii]  

Once on active duty, officers should receive periodic psychological screenings^[iii]to monitor stress levels, biases, coping skills, and overall attitudes.^[iv]Supervisors should receive training on how to identify officers with particularly high stress levels or who are experiencing mental health crises and who may benefit from counseling or stress management training.^[v]

Officers who are involved in or witness traumatic events, such as an officer-involved shooting, a mass shooting, the death of a child, or a terror-based attack, should be required to speak with a counselor and should have the option of additional counseling. Additionally, department leaders should actively encourage members to use these services and clarify that they carry no adverse consequences.

Encourage good physical health. Numerous studies have found that investing in physical health programs reduces costs associated with heart disease and other related medical problems.[vi]Thus, department leaders should promote and incentivize physical health by providing low- or no-cost gym access and rewards for performing well on annual physical exams.

Promote health and wellbeing in training. Health and wellbeing should be woven into all academy and in-service training, and mental health and other wellbeing experts should lead discussions on topics that apply to officers’ professional andpersonal lives. Training in the use of force, for example, should address the stress of using and witnessing serious and lethal force; coping with public criticism (warranted or not); and support services available to officers.[vii]

Crisis response training teaches officers how to identify people in crisis or who are exhibiting dangerous behaviors. Officers can use these skills to recognize alarming behavior in coworkers, family members, and friends.[viii] 

^[I] Danyelle Solomon, Ctr. for Am. Progress, The Intersection of Policing and Race, at 8 (2016), https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/31134647/PoliceCommunity-brief.pdf.

^[ii] Lawrence Miller, 5 Questions Answered About Pre-Employ Psych Testing for Cops, Practical Police Psychology (Sept. 10, 2015), https://www.policeone.com/police-jobs-and-careers/articles/9496939-5-questions-answered-about-pre-employ-psych-testing-for-cops/.

^[iii]See, e.g.,  The Ferguson Comm’n, supranote 19, at 87 (recommending psych screenings when new officers are hired); San Diego Police Dep’t Use of Force Task Force, Final Report, at 46 (2001), https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/police/pdf/taskreport.pdf (recommending that San Diego P.D. “[e]stablish periodic, random evaluations of officers to determine and track their stress levels, areas of potential stress, bias, and coping skills”).

^[iv]SeeJeffrey M. Lating ed. et al., Emergency Mental Health Updates, in 13 Int’l J. Emergency Mental Health 291, 293 (Laurence Miller et al. eds., 2011),https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/health-disparities-in-police-officers-comparisons-to-the-us-general-populations.pdf(“[C]onfidential and routine mental health screenings may be useful in monitoring the health and wellbeing of police officers.”); see alsoSan Diego Police Dep’t Use of Force Task Force, supra note 30, at 46 (making same recommendation).

^[v]SeeU.S. Comm’n on Civil Rights, supra note 11, at 33.

[vi]SeeJoseph B. Kuhns et al., Health, Safety, and Wellness Program: Case Studies in Law Enforcement, Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Dep’t of Justice, at 8-9, 26 (2015),https://ric-zai-inc.com/Publications/cops-p332-pub.pdf(finding a 20-to-1 return on the investment in a pilot program that includes exercise wellness); Elizabeth Lang Sanberg et al., A Guide to Occupational Health and Safety for Law Enforcement Executives, Bureau of Justice Assistance U.S. Dep’t of Justice, at 7-8 (2010), https://www.bja.gov/publications/perf_le_occhealth.pdf.

[vii]Chi. Investigation, supranote 11, at 100, 151.

[viii]Id.; President’s Task Force Report,supranote 1, at 4.

Officer health, wellbeing, and safety should be integrated into all facets of operations. Specifically, departments should:

Limit shift lengths. Establishing maximum shift lengths for officers enhances wellbeing.[i]Research shows that long shifts undermine mental and physical wellbeing, especially when they occur in high-risk or high-stress environments.^[ii]

Maximum shift lengths should be set in tandem with daily limits on work hours. For example, an officer who works an eight-hour night shift and then spends the day in court should not return for a subsequent shift. Department leaders should meet their staffing needs while limiting the number of hours officers are required, or allowed, to work within a set period. One option is to fill positions that do not need to be staffed by sworn officers with civilian personnel.

Ensure vehicle safety.Traffic accidents are the second leading cause of officer fatalities in the line of duty (after the use of firearms).[iii]To prevent vehicular death and injury, all officers should be required to wear seat belts and participate in vehicle safety training.[iv]This training should cover policies regarding vehicle pursuits,[v]such as how to weigh the risks of pursuits and how to manage and/or terminate them to protect public and officer safety.[vi]

[i]Am. Acad. of Sleep Med., supra note 14 (“[o]ur results indicate that officers who work biologically normal day shifts perform much better than those on other shifts”).

^[ii]Id.

[iii]Nat’l Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, supranote 10.

[iv]President’s Task Force Report, supranote 2, at 97.

[v]High-speed pursuits threaten both officers and bystanders. See James Queally, Police Pursuits Cause Unnecessary Deaths and Injuries, L.A. County Grand Jury Says, L.A. Times (July 12, 2017), http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-police-pursuits-dangers-20170711-story.html.For an example of appropriate guidelines, seeCal. Comm’n on Peace Officer Standards and Training, California Law Enforcement Vehicle Pursuit Guidelines (2007),http://lib.post.ca.gov/Publications/vp_guidelines.pdf(addressing when to initiate a pursuit, tactics, speed, conditions, bystanders, and reporting, among other things)

[vi]See, e.g., Balt. Police Dep’t Policy 1503 Emergency Vehicle Operation and Pursuit Policy (Sep. 13, 2017), https://www.baltimorepolice.org/1503-emergency-vehicle-operation-and-pursuit-policy (outlining factors for officers to consider in initiating or continuing a vehicle pursuit); Bos. Police Dep’t Rule 301 Pursuit Driving (Apr. 29, 2013), https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5086f19ce4b0ad16ff15598d/t/52af5f16e4b0dbce9d22a7dd/1387224854494/Rule+301.pdf (same); Phila. Police Dep’t Directive 9.4 Vehicular Pursuits (June 16, 2016), https://www.phillypolice.com/assets/directives/D9.4-VehicularPursuits.pdf(requiring supervisor or police radio acknowledgment of vehicle pursuit and requiring supervisors to terminate pursuits with no justification or if they believe the pursuit has become too dangerous); S.F. Police Dep’t General Order 5.05 Emergency Response and Pursuit Driving (June 26, 2013), https://sanfranciscopolice.org/sites/default/files/FileCenter/Documents/27229-DGO%205.05%20rev.%2005-22-13.pdf(requiring an officer’s supervisor to “assume control of the pursuit” and to “manage and control the pursuit, including the speed of the pursuit, assess risk factors associated with the pursuit, and evaluate whether and when to terminate a pursuit”).

Supporting and treating officers who have experienced trauma is a public safety interest.

Departments should have clear policies and protocols for treating officers during and after crises. All officers who are involved in or witness a crisis or traumatic event should undergo a mandatory screening with a health professional, such as an EAP counselor.[i]This policy should apply not only to officer-involved shootings but to all crises and traumatic events. Officers should also have the option to access crisis counseling.

Supervisors should monitor changes in officers’ demeanor and behavior after traumatic events. Departments should have formal and informal intervention processes, as well as comprehensive nondisciplinary early intervention systems, to identify officers who may be in crisis or experiencing personal or professional difficulties. (For more detail, see Chapter 7.)

[i]See, e.g., Metropolitan Police Dep’t of the D.C. General Order 201.28 (Apr. 1, 1993), https://go.mpdconline.com/GO/GO_201_28.pdf(establishing a “Post-Shooting Trauma Group” to which MPD members must report after being directly involved, witnessing, or being the victim of a serious or fatal wounding); Phila. Police Dep’t Directive 6.14 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (Apr. 26, 2013), https://www.phillypolice.com/assets/directives/D6.14-EmployeeAssistanceProgram.pdf(establishing “Critical Incident Stress Management” by which EAP personnel contact the commanding officer or supervisor of personnel involved in a critical incident when they believe intervention “may be beneficial”).

All departments, large and small, need equipment so officers can police safely and effectively. Inadequate and outdated equipment endangers public and officer safety and increases stress. Department leaders should establish processes to evaluate equipment needs (e.g., protective gear, body-worn cameras, vehicle safety, first-aid kits, and computer terminals) on an ongoing basis. Budget officialsshould meet various community needs, but they should ensure that all officers have certain equipment so they can serve the community safely and effectively and protect their own safety. Specifically, departments should:

Equip officers with on-duty aid kits. All officers need their own first aid kits, which should include items to stem blood loss. All officers should also receive in-service training throughout their careers on proper techniques for rendering aid in the field.^[i]

Provide protective gear. Policing is dangerous and complex work. Officers should be required to wear bulletproof vests in appropriate circumstances.^[ii]While officers may find protective gear cumbersome, it saves lives and alleviates stress because officers know they will be protected in emergencies.^[iii]

Supply adequate computers. Departments should collect and report data on enforcement activities accurately and efficiently.(For more detail, see Chapter 8.)To carry out this task, officers need properly functioning computers. Otherwise, department leaders send the message that they do not support officers in their job duties, which increases job-related stress and lowers morale.

^[i]President’s Task Force Report, supra note 2, at 66, 97 (recommending that Congress authorize funding for these kits); Baltimore Police Dep’t Pol’y 811, Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) (Mar. 27, 2018), https://www.powerdms.com/public/BALTIMOREMD/documents/353296; Cleveland Settlement Agreement, supra note 17, at ¶ 293.

^[ii]President’s Task Force Report, supranote 2, at 97.

^[iii]Id. at 67.