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Critical Incident Stress: A Serious Law Enforcement Problem

NCJ Number
117391
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 56 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1989) Pages: 32-33
Author(s)
T Pierson
Date Published
1989
Length
2 pages
Annotation
Police involved in fatal shootings and a variety of other serious events are often affected by critical-incident stress and should have access to a formal debriefing process led by mental health professionals and specially trained emergency service personnel.
Abstract
Police agencies that develop procedures to assist officers after fatal shootings have acknowledged that post-shooting trauma occurs and that officers must be assisted. Unfortunately, many of these agencies fail to understand that other serious incidents, such as mass casualty incidents, the death of a fellow officer, the death of a child under violent circumstances, or the death of a victim after prolonged rescue efforts, can cause many of the same psychological problems. Critical incident syndrome affects up to 87 percent of all emergency service workers at least once during their careers. However, police often fail to vent their feelings after an event, when there is no longer any need to be in control. To help officers, all agencies should make critical-incident services available. Otherwise, the job performance of officers affected by critical-incident stress may deteriorate and lead to suspension, dismissal, and in extreme cases, suicide. Police administrators should recognize that critical-incident stress exists, mandate training for all police personnel, teach supervisors how to recognize serious events, and have formal debriefings for all involved officers after a major event.