Web Site--Officer Mental Health

[CHP7016]

I wanted to draw your attention to the new website for our Badge of Life—Psychological Survival for Police Officers:

http://www.badgeoflife.com

There’s some good info and advice there for you new officers, senior officers and retirees. It’s a set of new ideas we’ve been circulating around to departments and are now getting some participation, as well as endorsements by officers, researchers and authors.

You might be a bit surprised at the suicide data we’ve been compiling for 2008 and the trends we’re picking up on (though it’s still early). Our numbers aren’t exciting as some you see bandied about, but they’re solid and verifiable.

We’re a bunch of retired officers who have fought the PTSD and suicide battles, with a good staff of medical and research experts on the team, but our ideas are for all departments. If you’re with a law enforcement agency, we encourage you to bring it to the attention of your bosses. If you're in the application process, give some thought to our suggestions. We don't want our same fate to befall you. Everything we offer is free—no profiteering here. We’ll even come talk to anyone willing to listen to some new ideas.

We honestly believe that, if enough departments were to incorporate this into their training, we could reduce police suicides by 75 percent in ten years. That's how confident we are.

If you have any questions or want more information, contact info is on the website. Again, everything we offer is free and nonprofit.

Be well out there.

[texaschickeee]

S N yes one reason the LEO don't reach out that its a taboo issue.

I just completed a paper that I got input from in here and one thing rag through clear time after time....
just do your job, leave and don't let it affect you. If theres a shooting, or any traumatic follow policy, and go talk to the shrink and get back ASAP. like a good little robo cop. nothing should phase you at all.

I also have a deep seeded thought process that this is a huge reason why divorce rates are so high, as they don't react instantly...the emotional reaction is almost non existent. the So and or public basically get a impression that...they don't care, and the truth is, they have breaking heart too.they just don't show it.

[JMTX]

yes one reason the LEO don't reach out that its a taboo issue.

Exactly. Everyone knows that if you say you are depressed or heaven forbid suicidal, the first thing that's going to happen is someone is going to complain that you aren't fit to do your job, and you end up in a "fit for duty" psych eval.

Who wants to risk losing their job because they've got the blues? Not many.

[CHP7016]

S N yes one reason the LEO don't reach out that its a taboo issue.

This is true. Police suicides have come to the forefront only in the last year or two, and then only because the press picked up on the problem and made a big ballyhoo. Everyone ran around putting together a "suicide prevention program," then many just checked the box and and moved on.

Trouble is, some of those departments have already had multiple suicides just this year. The stress and trauma continue, both from catastrophic and cumulative sources, in spite of the best of programs.

That's why we're reaching out with our website and program (free) and hoping that our voluntary, annual visits (to a therapist of the officer's choice) will be formally incorporated into everyone's programs. It's a far better answer than waiting for Humpty Dumpty to fall and then saying, "We were surprised."

[alicemark]

The social psychological literature had shown wide acceptance by the police of the use of nonverbal behaviors such as smiles, speech disruptions, gaze aversion, and hand gestures as cues to deceptive or suspicious activity by criminal suspects. Current police investigative training also reinforces these beliefs.Mild to moderate forms of depression are often amenable to pharmacological or psychological approaches, but severe depression is a different matter. The successful treatment of very deep depression is something of a Holy Grail for many in the mental health field.
--------------------
Alice mark

Utah Drug Treatment