Introduction
The work of a police officer involves a high level of exposure to stressful situations daily, ranging from conflict to the use of deadly weapons at a crime scene. Such a high risk of critical encounters requires adequate response and help in coping with the aftermath of stress to ensure that officers do not bear negative mental health consequences due to their work. In this regard, a case of a police officer conducting a crisis intervention with a suicidal veteran will be reviewed and analyzed in this paper. The report aims to identify the particularities of handling the situation and its management from a long-term perspective.
Stressful Situation Description
The case under discussion in this report is a 2020 crisis intervention conducted by a police officer at the Pueblo Police Department. The officer came to the site upon receiving a call about a man bearing a gun in the street. On the scene, the policeman discovered a veteran attempting to commit suicide using a shotgun. The police officer held the man at gunpoint while demanding he drop the weapons, trying to calm the veteran, and promising to help him (“Dramatic Video Shows Pueblo Officer Saving Suicidal Veteran”).
While the officer talked to the man, other members of the police department’s crisis intervention team arrived. After a long and stressful talk during which the veteran repeatedly asked to shoot him and refused to drop the weapons, he finally agreed to discharge his gun and get help (“Dramatic Video Shows Pueblo Officer Saving Suicidal Veteran”). The body camera on the officer showed that he was highly emotional and stressed immediately after the incident.
Stressors Faced by the Officer
In this situation, the officer was under a significant level of stress due to the use of a gun by the veteran, which was threatening to both the officer and the man. Moreover, it was stressful for the officer to handle his weapon due to the necessity of reacting quickly to the veteran’s actions. Furthermore, the officer, as a veteran as well, was aware of the experiences the vet might have had, which demonstrated the severity of his intentions (“Dramatic Video Shows Pueblo Officer Saving Suicidal Veteran”).
These stressors, particular to the situation, are coupled with other implicit stressors commonly observed in law enforcement. Police work is characterized by “long and often rotating shifts, threats of violence, increased need for hypervigilance, and a lack of public support creating chronic stress” (Stogner et al. 718). In the future, his mental state might be negatively impacted by this experience if not handled correctly due to the possibility of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Available Resources to Aid in Managing the Situation
In the analyzed situation, the officer had material and non-material resources when handling the crisis. For example, he had a gun, which was a resource for persuasion and self-protection in this case. The officer had his team available to support him in the decision-making while communicating with the suicidal individual. The officer also used his knowledge of mental health management and crisis management skills as resources helpful in calming down the individual and eliminating the risk of suicide (Rogers et al. 416).
Stress coping skills, such as the ability to deliver his message clearly and persuasively, were also helpful. In addition, the particularity of this case that contributed to the success of the crisis resolution was that the officer’s personal veteran experience was a decisive argument for the suicidal individual to drop the gun (“Dramatic Video Shows Pueblo Officer Saving Suicidal Veteran”). Thus, these resources helped handle the situation and conduct the job successfully.
Police Administration’s Actions to Support the Officer in Coping
When responding to the stressful event the officer experienced, the administration of the police department should provide professional support to help the impacted individual process the trauma. For example, counseling might be suggested as an effective response “when it is confidential, voluntary, and provided by a professional experienced at working with law enforcement or public safety personnel” (Otto and Gatens 2). Similarly, peer support might be introduced to acknowledge the issues the officer faced and help him recover (Otto and Gatens 2). Overall, it is essential to create a supportive and mental health-sensitive culture in the police department to minimize stress implications, stigmatization, and empower officers to cope with stress healthily.
Conclusion
In summation, the analysis of the stressful event experienced by a police officer has demonstrated that law enforcers are disproportionately exposed to stress and need support in coping with it. The situation demonstrated that the officer’s skills, knowledge, and available resources were sufficient for proper handling of the critical situation. It is recommended that police departments cultivate supportive working environments to aid officers with peer support, counseling, and recovery programs to minimize threats to their mental health in the long-term perspective.
Works Cited
“Dramatic Video Shows Pueblo Officer Saving Suicidal Veteran.” YouTube, uploaded by 9NEWS, 2020. Web.
Otto, H. Douglas and Alysson Gatens. “Addressing Police Officer Stress: Programs and Practices.” Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2022. Web.
Rogers, Michael S., Dale E. McNiel, and Renée L. Binder. “Effectiveness of Police Crisis Intervention Training Programs.” The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, vol. 47, no. 4, 2019, pp. 414-421. Web.
Stogner, John, Bryan Lee Miller, and Kyle McLean. “Police Stress, Mental Health, and Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” American Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 45, 2020, pp. 718-730. Web.