In recent years, the topic of sustainable policing has been the focus of much discussion. Sustainable policing covers a broad range of subjects, including community relations, spending strategies and fair hiring/promotion standards. One important aspect to creating a sustainable model of policing is addressing mental health concerns among officers. The high stress nature of police work can be taxing on an individual, impacting their job performance and quality of life. Supporting officers as they navigate the stresses and challenges inherent to their work is an essential aspect of sustainable policing, as an overburdened officer is prone to burnout and mental distress. In this blog, I sat down with Dr. John Madonna to discuss the intersection between sustainability and police mental health. This conversation offers insight into the challenges faced by officers, as well as strategies for addressing the stress they experience while performing their duties.
We began our discussion by addressing work related stress faced by public safety officers. Dr. Madonna emphasized the unique challenges that officers experience.
“Officers have the same issues that civilians do, but also face the stress of traumatic incidents and frequent conflictual situations. They are subject to negative prejudice, and they don’t often get thanked for doing their job. At times, the job takes a toll on an officer’s family and/or personal life. They may come home without processing the stress they experienced during the day, which can lead to relationship issues, mood problems, alcohol abuse, etc. The antidote to these issues is to talk about them and engage in counseling.”
He continued by describing an aspect of police culture which creates a barrier to care for many officers.
“Early on, there was a stigma associated with an officer wanting or needing counseling/therapy. It was seen as contrary to the image that was promulgated that officers needed to be tough and suppress their emotions. This is not sustainable because human beings are subject to stress at varying levels. It is important for counselors to be aware of this stigma and address the apprehension about what counseling means for the officer. Seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness, but rather it’s a sign of strength. It demonstrates an officer’s ability to recognize a problem in their life and take steps to address it.”
Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health is critical to ensuring officers are able to access care when in need. Dr. Madonna shared his thoughts on how departments can overcome this hurdle and help their officers feel comfortable talking through their struggles.
“In order for an organization to be sustainable, in other words to be able to continue to offer the services that they do effectively, stigma has to be addressed and resolved. It’s better than it was when I started 40 years ago because new officers are coming into the field better educated regarding mental health than they were before. In terms of how a department can support their officers, a lot has to do with the senior staff and how capable they are at addressing this issue. Being approachable, perceptive and able to recognize when an officer is lagging behind, and being proactive at checking in to see how that officer is doing does a tremendous amount to encourage them to get help early. The sooner help is offered and accepted, the better the outcome.”
Our discussion shifted towards the financial implications of work-related stress. Police departments often face high turnover rates due to officer burnout. This results in the need to frequently rehire and train new candidates, which can drain department resources. Such waste is unsustainable and takes away from a department’s ability to function at optimal effectiveness. Dr. Madonna emphasized the importance of selecting candidates who will be able to tolerate the stress of the job and perform their duties effectively.
“A department will put a lot of money and effort into training an applicant, so it’s really important to get the right people. It’s not cost effective to train a person and have them leave after they’ve been assigned. An applicant who has the capacity for learning, taking feedback, working with a supervisor, and being aware of changes they have to make to improve their ability will be more likely to be retained. Psychological screening of entry-level applicants can predict this.”
So, what qualities could indicate an officer has the capacity once hired to perform their duties effectively and is able to handle the challenges of police work?
“There are a number of characteristics that make a good officer. One example is having the humility to acknowledge that they aren’t going to know everything. Officers need to continuously learn by taking an interest in the human condition, interacting with the community, and being able to talk to and accept advice/criticism from fellow officers and their supervisors. An officer also must possess a temperate, non-reactive personality. Officers often have to de-escalate highly complex situations or conflicts. A reactive officer can exacerbate the situation and won’t be much help. Courage is another important quality. Many officers have the potential for heroism but may not always bring it with them. They may need to grow into the role. Officers who have the capacity to grow effectively into their roles are the ones mentally able to be heroic when that’s necessary. In our standard screening, we’re looking to rule out any sort of person who has a serious mental disorder or condition that would prevent them from effectively doing the essential aspects of the job.”
Many officers feel overwhelmed by their work and oftentimes will neglect their personal lives. This is unsustainable, and can negatively affect an officer’s mood, relationships and job performance. We concluded our interview by discussing strategies individuals can take to find a work/life balance and avoid burning themselves out.
“A lot of young officers are eager to advance. It’s best to be patient and learn from their commanding officers and their peers. They should aim to learn at a reasonable pace, as when we rush, we miss a lot. Many young officers sign up for extra duty shifts, and while it’s nice to earn money and get ahead that way, working too many extra shifts is going to have an adverse impact and impede one’s optimal performance. It’s also important to have balanced interests in life Winston Churchill once said, ‘A change is as good as a rest.’ We all need to get away from our work once in a while, and having a diverse set of hobbies, a good family life and positive friendships can be restorative. Having a good balance between work and personal life can improve an officer’s ability to enjoy their job and sustainably maintain their work performance.”
Anthony Madonna, MS/Environmental Studies
