In the contemporary society, being a police officer is one of the toughest occupations that a person can work in. Even though many people tend to think that being a cop is an easy job, the fact still remains that it is a complex profession because it not only requires one to be combat ready but also a counselor and a social worker. Some of the factors that may directly affect the mental health wellbeing of police officers include frequent criticism and pressure from the public, exposure to critical incidents, high probability of job injuries, unpredictable schedules and long hours among others. This essay seeks to explore the reasons as to why police officers are often reluctant to get mental health counseling by shedding light on how police departments are attempting to make it easier for officers to get help when it is needed.
According to Miller (2006), out of the 900,000 sworn police officers in the U.S., 19% of them may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). One of the main reasons as to why police officers are reluctant to get mental counseling is that the public sees them as role models and protective figures. Every member of the society depends on them for protection and moral support and as such, seeking mental counseling will distort their image and make them feel inferior. Secondly, whenever an offer starts to seek counseling services it shows that there is some level of incompetence in their line of duty. Many law enforcers may think that their superiors see them as less useful staff because of such vulnerabilities and as such, they would avoid getting counseling services to protect their jobs.
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Police departments have tried to address these issues by establishing in-state counseling services so that officers can get access to counseling services whenever they feel the need to (Miller, 2006). This would eliminate the shame of visiting outside counselors because they have confidence in their own initiative. To address the issue of long working hours and unexpected shifts, police departments have established compulsory leave days for officers so that they can have some time off spend with their families and relax from office duties.
References
Miller, L. (2006). Practical police psychology: Stress management and crisis intervention for law enforcement . Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas.
