Talking It Through
There is little doubt that law enforcement officers must deal with the profession's physical and mental demands.
To address the physical nature of the job, law enforcement officers can turn to places such as a gym to build themselves up.
But when it comes to good mental health, it’s not that simple. That is why many law enforcement agencies are establishing peer support teams (PST) to assist officers.
Studies have shown that PSTs are a valuable tool for officers to use, said Angela Childers, clinical director with the Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Kentucky Post Critical-Incident Seminar.
“Based on most everything we are reading and hearing from webinars and wellness conferences that we’ve attended, peer support programs are key and essential to law enforcement wellness and mental health,” she explained. “Peer specialists teach and model skills while offering support to peers who are experiencing challenges to lead meaningful lives and maximize their professional potential.”
Childers went on to explain that law enforcement officers are a unique group who need specialized care.
“They rarely ask for help, so if they reach out for mental health assistance and the experience is negative or subpar, there is a high probability that they will not ever ask for help again,” she said. "Additionally, they are a population that is known to be at a high risk for suicide. That risk factor alone should encourage us to develop and provide a peer support system that meets their needs and saves lives.”
DOCJT Clinical Director Angela Childers said peer support teams should work in concert with mental health professionals to ensure the well-being of law enforcement officers. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
Agency PSTs
Many law enforcement agencies across Kentucky have seen the value in PSTs, including the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police.
LPD began the process of initiating what it calls the Police Officer Support Team (POST) in the wake of the Comair 5191 crash in August 2006 at Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport.
“It was realized that we needed more in place for officers who respond to traumatic events,” LPD Sgt. Randall Combs said. “That was an event where they realized debriefings would be beneficial for our officers in some of these events.”
LPD has more than 20 officers on POST, and Combs said they offer assistance to the department’s 680 officers.
Lexington Police Department Sgt. Randall Combs said his agency launched its Police Officer Support Team in the wake of the August 2006 Comair Flight 5191 crash. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
“There is no basic requirement to be on the team,” Combs said. “However, once they are on the team, we send them through Critical Incident Stress Management training (CIT). That teaches you how to conduct defusing debriefings with officers who have responded to particularly traumatic calls.”
As a team, POST trains together regularly, practicing debriefings and peer counseling strategies and tactics, Combs said.
“Some of our members have been through DOCJT’s chaplaincy courses, and that gives us some more tools to use,” he explained. Many of our POST members are people who have been helped by peer support in the past because they’ve been involved in a shooting or some other traumatic event. They saw how helpful it was, and when we had an opening on the team, they apply for it.”
The Kentucky State Police launched its peer support team in 2016, said Sgt. Davy Norris, who works out of KSP’s employee assistance branch.
“The benefit of having a peer support team is you have people that work as a peer with the individual,” Norris said. “It might not be somebody at that post, but it could be someone from an adjoining post or somebody they feel comfortable with, such as their former training officer or someone they’ve worked third (shift) with in the first few years of their career. It’s another resource or tool on our belt.”
Kentucky State Police Sgt. Davy Norris said having access to a peer support team is no different from calling for back up on a call. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
Given that law enforcement officers experience traumatic events throughout their careers, Norris said an outlet of sorts is needed to help balance things out.
“One of the key things in dealing with stress in your life is recognizing it, acknowledging that it is affecting you and then making a decision on how you can address it positively before it overwhelms you,” he said. “Having access to a peer support team is no different than having the ability to call for back up on a call. You know you have someone you can call upon who is there for their brother or sister.”
Establishing PSTs
It has been said that imitation is the best form of flattery, and this holds true for an agency establishing its own PST, DOCJT instructor Gabe Gillingham said.
“There are several recommendations on prerequisites, whether from International Association of Chiefs of Police or International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF),” Gillingham said. “Those selected should be members of the target population. What I mean by that is the program, and those selected to be peer support should represent all occupational aspects of the agency, law enforcement, dispatch and administrative staff. Some critical incidents and trauma can affect not only those directly involved but also the administrative staff through vicarious trauma.”
According to Gillingham, PST members should attend training in the basics of assisting individuals in crisis and group crisis intervention.
“This is paramount as these classes focus on listening skills, psychological first aid and what to look for to determine if the employee needs more assistance than what the peer member can provide. The mantra is “do no further harm," Gillingham explained. “Not everything needs to be escalated to an employee assistance program, or outsourced to a mental health professional. Sometimes people need to be able to talk with someone who understands it from their perspective because they’ve been through something very similar and have been able to resolve their own traumatic experiences.”
A critical element is an agency-wide buy-in.
DOCJT Law Enforcement Instructor Gabe Gillingham said buy-in for peer support teams should be at all levels of the agency. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
“This is the key right here, it has to be a part of the agency climate,” Gillingham stressed. “From the chief or sheriff all the way down. You can see it with any policy or program in any agency. If there’s not buy-in at all levels, it will fail. It needs to be a part of common practice, as the common practice becomes policy.”
There are plenty of resources an agency can use to help agencies establish PSTs.
“There are a series of classes that have been developed by the ICISF that provide a foundation for providing peer support, assisting individuals in crisis and group crisis intervention, Gillingham said. “They do provide a slew of other classes that range from advanced assisting individuals and groups to establishing and maintaining peer teams. Members of the Post Critical Incident Section at DOCJT are currently working toward certifications to provide the first level of training in assisting individuals in crisis and assisting groups in crisis.”
First-line
PSTs are not designed to replace professional help, Childers, and Gillingham stress. They should be set up to work in concert with mental health professionals to ensure officer health and safety.
“Based on their training and understanding of stressors and cumulative trauma, peers are there to help the officer interpret what they are experiencing, then serve as a liaison to help bridge the gap for those officers needing a higher level of care with a mental health provider,” Childers explained. “This is where the mental health professional is essential. When dealing with people’s mental health, especially in regards to the high-risk population, it should be the responsibility of a licensed mental health professional who has the clinical experience to make the best decisions and recommendations, supporting peers in their efforts to serve their brothers and sisters.”
