P.I.S.T.L.E POST INCIDENT STRESS & TRAUMA IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

THE JOB………………………………. Police officers have one of the most stressful jobs out there. From dealing with every day crime such as theft to dealing with serious criminals who have committed murder. Stress is a state of emotional strain resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Police face these circumstances every day and if they aren’t prepared to handle the stress it could cause problems. Stress in police officers needs to be taken very seriously.

STATISTICS……………………………. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund every year on average 163 officers lose their lives, and according to the National Police Suicide foundation, suicide is 2 to 3 time more likely than line of duty deaths throughout law enforcement agencies, and stress is the leading cause of these deaths. For every police suicide, there are at least 1,000 police officers suffering from some symptoms of PTSD Over 500 officers were recruited for a study of stress on police officers. Out of those recruits, officers over age 40 had a higher 10-year risk of a coronary event compared to average national standards; 72 percent of female officers and 43 percent of male officers, had higher-than-recommended cholesterol levels; and police officers as a group had higher-than-average pulse rates and diastolic blood pressure.Data showed that 23 percent of male and 25 percent of female officers reported more suicidal thoughts than the general population (13.5 percent). In a previous study, suicide rates were three times higher in police than in other municipal workers

WHAT P.I.S.T.L.E DOES……………… Mental health needs to be de-stigmatized in the law enforcement world. The amount of stress that many police officers have isn’t an issue that the public hears about very often and P.I.S.T.L.E is there to give officers and others the information and resources needed to deal with this issue. P.I.S.T.L.E has many resources available to officers and their family to help them navigate the rough waters of stress. They provide self-check list which allows you to fill out surveys anonymously to see what your stress levels are and good ways of coping with them. They also have other options such as peer support, several different stress management training options and a list of Dos and Don’ts when it comes to ways of dealing with stress. All of these options and more are available on their website.

RESOURSES………………………….. PISTLE offers many different options for police officers to choose from based on what they think they need. Peer Support -Each of our peers are current or retired law enforcement professionals. The peers have gone through there own struggles and have received treatment and training. The peer program is designed to provide support for officers in whichever stage of grief they are in. Advocacy- Often when officers experience their critical incidents, the only direction they have is through their department’s union. As many of our officers have experienced, this assistance was lacking. When they truly needed assistance, officers were often found alone with little or no help. At PISTLE we are working with professionals in many fields such as Labor Attorneys, Workers Compensation Attorneys, and Civil Litigation Attorneys to help those officers who have been wrongfully treated by their employers. Training- One area we have not received training in is how to maintain our mental fitness after being exposed to traumatic and life-threatening situations. Through years of service we have often found ourselves haunted by those calls which would not go away. At PISTLE we are providing training to prevent PTSD related injuries. In addition, the mental health professionals at PISTLE are conducting training in their fields to better inform others on the unique aspect of treating law enforcement professionals. Family Support- Family support groups are another resource available for law enforcement families. Often, spouses offer comfort to each other and provide strength while going through the recovery progress. Joining a support group can help create lifelong friendships. They are available after hours and often with little to no notice.

HOW WE CAN HELP………………. There are many ways we can help spread awareness. Donations are accepted by this organization and through word of mouth, social media, and fundraisers, we can put a spot light on the problems faced by police officers and how P.I.S.T.L.E is there and available to those who need it or those who want to help.