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Preparing For The Unimaginable How Chiefs Can Safeguard Officer Mental Health Before and After Mass Casualty Events Full Digital Edition

The document is a guide aimed at law enforcement leaders on how to safeguard officer mental health before and after mass casualty events. It emphasizes the importance of addressing trauma and resilience, providing recommendations for enhancing officer wellness, and managing the aftermath of such incidents. The guide includes best practices, case studies, and resources to support mental health initiatives within police agencies.

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303 views14 pages

Preparing For The Unimaginable How Chiefs Can Safeguard Officer Mental Health Before and After Mass Casualty Events Full Digital Edition

The document is a guide aimed at law enforcement leaders on how to safeguard officer mental health before and after mass casualty events. It emphasizes the importance of addressing trauma and resilience, providing recommendations for enhancing officer wellness, and managing the aftermath of such incidents. The guide includes best practices, case studies, and resources to support mental health initiatives within police agencies.

Uploaded by

goetta.chxuy.endoang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Preparing for the Unimaginable How Chiefs Can Safeguard

Officer Mental Health Before and After Mass Casualty Events

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First published in 2013 by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
First Skyhorse Edition 2018.

Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion,
corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to
specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th
Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or [email protected].

Skyhorse® and Skyhorse Publishing® are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a
Delaware corporation.

Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Office of Community Oriented Policing Services


Cover photo credit: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

ISBN: 978-1-5107-2613-0
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-2625-3

Printed in China
As law enforcement executives it is our duty to keep our
officers safe and healthy. Thank you to those that
contributed to this important resource that helps us tackle the
topics of resiliency as well as the effects of a mass casualty
incident on officers’ mental health both during and in the
time that follows.
— Terrence Cunningham, Chief of Police, Wellesley (Massachusetts) Police
Department and President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police

The mental health of our officers should be of the utmost


importance. Whether issues are brought about by life
circumstances, tragedy, critical incidents, or on-the-job
stress, it is incumbent upon us as leaders to acknowledge the
realness of the situation and to provide opportunities for
help. As agency heads, we have the opportunity to provide
permission to our agencies to speak openly and candidly
about the mental health of our members.
— Colonel Matt Langer, Chief of Police, Minnesota State Patrol

This project was supported by cooperative agreement 2013-CK-WX-K038 awarded by the Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein
are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S.
Department of Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not
be considered an endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the
references are illustrations to supplement discussion of the issues. The Internet references cited in
this publication were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in
constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office can vouch for their current validity.

Recommended citation:
Usher, Laura, Stefanie Friedhoff, Sam Cochran, and Anand Pandya. 2016. Preparing for the
Unimaginable: How Chiefs Can Safeguard Officer Mental Health Before and After Mass Casualty
Events. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Contents

Letter from the Director

Foreword: Leadership When the Unimaginable Occurs

Foreword: Mental Wellness Needs New Focus

Preface

Acknowledgments

How to Read This Guide

PART ONE. Why Mental Wellness Matters to You and Your Agency

1. Understanding Trauma and Resiliency


Stories from the field
Police officers aren’t immune to trauma
The immediate impact of traumatic events
The long-term impact of trauma
Unresolved trauma is an officer safety issue
Psychological resilience
Do we need to change law enforcement culture to promote
resilience?
PART TWO. Preparing for a Mass Casualty Event

2. Recommendations for Enhancing Resilience in Your Agency Today


Take a personal interest in officer wellness
Form a work group to recommend officer wellness programs and
education
Support the creation of an officer peer support program
Find the right mental health service providers to support your
officers
Review your psychological services policies and procedures

3. Planning the Incident Response for a Mass Casualty Event


Assign a mental health incident commander
Build close partnerships with first responder agencies and other
leaders in your community
Make a regional or statewide plan

4. Building Your Media Team and Strategy for a Mass Casualty Event
Why you need a media strategy
How to plan an effective media strategy: Be prepared. Be proactive.
Own your narrative
What to include in your media plan

PART THREE. Managing a Mass Casualty Event and Its Aftermath

5. Immediate Incident Response


Managing challenges for your agency and your community
Managing challenges and stressors for officers
Managing leadership challenges
Immediate incident response checklists

6. The First Weeks: From Chaos to a New Normal


Managing challenges for your agency and your community
Managing challenges and stressors for officers
Managing leadership challenges

7. The First Months


Managing challenges for your agency and your community
Managing challenges and stressors for officers
Managing leadership challenges
Tips for helping officers to heal

8. The Long Haul


Managing challenges for your agency and your community
Managing challenges and stressors for officers
Managing leadership challenges

HANDOUTS AND OTHER RESOURCES

Chief Edwards’ Story: Overcoming PTSD

Lori Kehoe’s Story: The Impact of Trauma on Law Enforcement Spouses

Sgt. O’Hara’s Story: Managing Cumulative PTSD and Helping to Prevent


Officer Suicide

Sgt. DiBona’s Story: Using His Personal Struggles to Help Other Cops
Too Much, Too Ugly: Understanding the Trauma Contamination for Law
Enforcement Officers

“This Shouldn’t Be Bothering Me:” Common Myths about Police Officers’


Responses to Traumatic Events

The Mental Health Incident Commander’s Role during the Immediate


Response to a Mass Casualty Event

How to Assist a Fellow Officer after a Critical Incident

Resources

Organizations

About the Authors

About NAMI

About the COPS Office


Letter from the Director

Dear colleagues,
It’s hard to imagine that an incident as horrific as those that occurred in
Newtown, Charleston, and San Bernardino could occur in our own
communities. Indeed, events of this kind are rare. But they do happen, and
law enforcement leaders must be prepared not only for a possible incident
but also for the aftermath that would follow.
Though most agencies have trained and equipped their officers for
immediate response to mass casualties, few have prepared their personnel
for the psychological fallout. Tragic events can have a profound effect on
first responders, who may suffer emotional distress that lingers long
afterward, leading to personal problems, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress
disorder, and even suicide.
To help the Newtown (Connecticut) Police Department cope with the
murder of 26 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook Elementary
School, the COPS Office reached out to the National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) to provide guidance. Preparing for the Unimaginable is the
result of NAMI’s work with Newtown’s police chief, Michael Kehoe.
This unique publication offers expert advice and practical tips for helping
officers to heal emotionally, managing public reaction, dealing with the
media, building relationships with other first responder agencies, and much
more. But what makes this handbook especially helpful are the case studies
and stories from the field contributed by chiefs, officers, and mental health
professionals who have lived through traumatic incidents.
We especially want to thank Chief Kehoe for his commitment to this effort,
which required reliving a traumatic event. He and the other law
enforcement professionals who contributed their personal experiences
deserve our thanks for being open about this issue and sharing their lessons
learned.
It is our hope that this handbook will be read by police chiefs and sheriffs
throughout the country. Though Preparing for the Unimaginable focuses on
mass casualty incidents, traumatic events arise in everyday police work as
well, and their effect cannot be overstated.
The COPS Office is dedicated to promoting all aspects of officer wellness
and safety, and as the Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st
Century Policing noted, the wellness and safety of law enforcement officers
is critical not only to themselves, their colleagues, and their agencies but
also to public safety. We applaud NAMI for bringing the critical issue of
officer mental health to the forefront with this eye-opening publication.
Sincerely,

Ronald L. Davis
Director
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Foreword: Leadership When the
Unimaginable Occurs

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012


caused a collective pause in the United States because of the brutality of the
actions against the most vulnerable members of society. As the events
unfolded and the world became aware of the devastation that occurred in an
elementary school, police officers throughout the state of Connecticut were
already busy handling a multitude of important responsibilities required
when a tragedy befalls a community.
The ability of media to quickly share the news of tragic events adds to the
stress and trauma normally associated with highly critical events. Law
enforcement must initially respond to these events to mitigate the dangers
inherent in the crisis. Then they must successfully navigate the aftermath,
including daily intrusions and reminders of the tragedy from the media and
offers of assistance from hundreds of well-intentioned community members
and visitors arriving with stuffed animals, flowers, food, and other gifts.
In addition to responding to traumatic events, dealing with the scope and
duration of the aftermath of tragedies is one of the most important concerns
of police chiefs and sheriffs throughout the country.
Ensuring the mental wellness and health of first responders has long been
an underappreciated task for the heads of police agencies. U.S. law
enforcement has learned from tragic events over the years and now trains to
respond to threats with the best equipment and practices known today.
However, many chiefs are not prepared to deal effectively with the intense
scope and unanticipated duration of the aftermath of these events, and many
chiefs are unaware of the impact such events will have on their
communities and the officers in their agencies.
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was an unprecedented event
in my career in law enforcement. Coping with the aftermath of the incident
raised my awareness of how traumatic experiences affect the mental health
and wellness of officers; thus, I asked the National Alliance on Mental
Illness to work with me on developing this guide, which will provide chiefs
and sheriffs with awareness and guidance on best practices for safeguarding
the mental health and wellness of first responders in the early moments of
critical events and during the long aftermath. This guide will also raise
awareness for the many stressors associated with critical events.
As chiefs or sheriffs, we can make a difference in the quality of life our
brave men and women will experience from hire to retire and beyond.
Protecting the health and wellness of officers under our command is as
important as any training an officer gets throughout his or her career. Our
officers make many sacrifices during their careers, and their emotional
well-being should be among our top priorities.
Michael Kehoe
Chief of Police (ret.), Newtown, Connecticut
Foreword: Mental Wellness Needs
New Focus

The overwhelming probability is that you will not need this guide. The
likelihood of a mass casualty event is so low that no law enforcement
agency has been able to develop expertise in dealing with such incidents, let
alone the traumatic psychological aftermath they have on first responders.
But when these events do occur, they can have a wide-ranging impact on
your agency and your officers. Should the unimaginable happen, having
thought-through officer support will be invaluable. You can take action to
prepare. The steps in this guide will benefit your agency even if you never
experience a mass casualty event, because all officers are exposed to
traumatic events throughout their careers.
The goal of this guide is to provide law enforcement executives with best
practices regarding first responder mental health—best practices learned
from colleagues unfortunate enough to have experienced a mass casualty
event. The National Alliance on Mental Illness brought together chiefs,
mental health professionals, and others with first-hand knowledge to
provide readers with a concise compendium of what worked and what did
not.
This guide is chronologically organized, beginning with pre-incident
preparation and concluding with long-term aftercare. It provides chiefs and
command staff with concrete tools to set up a mental health response
structure now, when there is time. Trauma is an occupational hazard for first
responders, yet officer mental health is a topic that often does not receive
proper attention. It has become clear that psychological trauma is every bit

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