Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, wow! Can an officer really experience so much negative behavior while on the job that he/she can develop a serious disorder which can manifest itself as totally unacceptable, or even as tragic behavior? Are they a danger to themselves or to others? Are more and more officers displaying PTSD? The answer to these questions is, unfortunately, yes.
During the past few months I have been researching this disorder and have found some sad-but-true instances in which officers have been hurting and have asked for help only to be told that their situations are, "Just part of the job." or that, "They will eventually be able to handle things better as their time in service increases." Some officers have been referred to a "Peer Counselor" or even a department "Shrink" but the peer counselors are well-meaning but inexperienced or the Department Psychologists are overbooked or not trusted. Many officers simply don't know to whom to turn. Is there an increase in the number of officers with PTSD? I think there is. Let me share a few true cases which I have personally investigated.They come from three different parts of the country. an S.O., a large P.D. and a Federal Agency.
Case # 1 -- An officer from a police department came up to me at a training session I was holding for his department. He asked me if I was taking on any new counseling clients. I never know how to say no so I agreed to see him after his shift the following week. I knew I wasn't going to be in his area very often, however, I would listen and make a referral if I felt he needed to continue to see a professional. This officer was having trouble staying in focus while on the job. His mind drifted even while he was investigating complaints. During the course of our conversation he told me he was beginning to worry about roadside explosives while on patrol. In fact, there were certain streets he avoided all together. He knew this wasn't realistic and that he was reliving his tour in Iraq, but he couldn't stop thinking about this even though he was back in the states. He was having more and more difficulty treating the public with kindness and he was beginning to withdraw from his own family. He frequently referred to his police squad as his "unit".
Do you recognize yourself in this story or do you know others who seem to have similar problems? What is your department doing to help those officers who are returning from the Middle East? During the next few Blogs I will tell you about some other officers who suffer from PTSD, what can be done to help people who suffer from this disorder and what you can do if your agency isn't being realistic in dealing with this situation. Stay safe, watch each other's back and WAIT FOR BACKUP.
Steve
