June is National PTSD Awareness Month, focused on increasing understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder and providing support for those it affects. Because military veterans and first responders have a heightened risk of developing this condition, LAAPOA wants to be sure to keep our members, family members and supporters informed about the causes and symptoms of PTSD, how it impacts law enforcement, and the treatments and resources available to help.

Many people may experience or witness a traumatic event in the course of their lives — for example, a car accident, assault or natural disaster. Although it’s normal for such distressing incidents to have emotional effects, the majority of people will typically recover over time. Some, however, will develop PTSD. According to the National Center for PTSD, part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about 6% of the population will have PTSD at some point in their lives.

While anyone can develop PTSD, there are risk factors that make it more likely, including the type of traumatic event, your exposure to past traumatic events or receiving little to no support after the event. One major risk factor is working in law enforcement, where officers repeatedly witness and undergo a wide variety of traumatic events while facing high-stress calls and unpredictable dangers. Research has found that peace officers experience an average of around 3.5 traumatic events for each six months they serve. In a 30-year career, that adds up to over 200% more traumatic experiences than the average person will have in their lifetime. Studies also show that the risk of developing PTSD or other similar mental health conditions is 25.6 times higher for public safety officers than the general public.

One developing area of PTSD research of particular relevance to law enforcement concerns repetitive head trauma. As discussed in a recent episode of the On the Job With PORAC podcast, studies show a link between traumatic brain injury and mental health problems, including PTSD and suicide. Law enforcement officers not only tend to have a history of participating in contact sports, but also are frequently exposed to head injury risks in training and on the job — everything from flashbangs to defensive tactics to falling from a horse or ATV. In recognition of this connection, organizations like the Concussion Legacy Foundation are expanding their research and resources to include a focus on first responders.

Trauma manifests differently for everyone — physically, emotionally, behaviorally and cognitively, at varying levels of intensity — but common symptoms of PTSD include being affected by the event daily, experiencing recurring memories, avoiding reminders, having more negative thoughts and feelings, feeling on edge or on guard, and using or abusing substances to forget about the event. These effects can show up soon after the event, or months or years later. Typically, it is considered a sign of PTSD when they last more than a month and are severe enough to interfere with your life, work and relationships.

To reduce the risk of developing PTSD, it’s important for peace officers to be able to process and discuss their experiences and feelings following a traumatic incident or difficult call in a supportive, judgment-free environment that encourages ongoing communication. This can occur in debriefings and peer support groups, with chaplains or mental health professionals, and with family and friends. It’s also important to be aware of signs of PTSD in yourself and others, so you can seek help if you need it or reach out to colleagues to offer support. Those suffering from PTSD should know that they are not alone and that PTSD is not forever — there are many effective treatments available, from medications to treat the symptoms to therapies to address the underlying trauma, including cognitive processing therapy (CPT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and prolonged exposure (PE).

Fortunately, in recent years, the issue of mental health in law enforcement has become more recognized, discussed and supported than ever before. Agencies, organizations, educational institutions and policymakers are addressing PTSD by conducting studies, pushing for legislation and providing new wellness resources and benefits. In California, Senate Bill 542 in 2019 created a rebuttable presumption that PTSD in firefighters and peace officers is a work-related injury and thus compensable under workers’ compensation. On the national level, the Public Safety Officer Support Act became law in 2022, recognizing PTSD as a line-of-duty injury under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program and allowing first responders to seek disability benefits after experiencing traumatic incidents on duty. It also ensures officers who suffer from PTSD, are disabled, or die by or attempt suicide as a result of trauma incurred on duty will be eligible under the PSOB, and it extends PSOB eligibility to the families of officers who die by suicide as a result of a traumatic on-duty event.

“LAAPOA and our statewide partners at PORAC are proud to continue supporting measures to address PTSD and other mental health issues in our profession,” LAAPOA President Marshall McClain says. “Even as the conversation around this topic grows and more resources become available, we know there is still more work to be done. Too many of our brothers and sisters are suffering in silence, denying that help is needed, not knowing where to turn or even, tragically, taking their own lives when the pain becomes unbearable. During this PTSD Awareness Month and year-round, I encourage anyone who may be struggling to speak with a health care provider to find out if PTSD could be affecting you. I also urge all our members to check in on your colleagues regularly and encourage them to seek help if you see signs of post-traumatic stress. Finally, for our friends outside law enforcement, please learn more about the emotional toll this job can take and the ways you can support our first responders. Together, we can ensure that all those subjected to trauma in the line of duty find care, healing and resilience.”

Here are a few additional resources to help you learn more:

• You are not weak; you are injured: How post-traumatic stress impacts police officers (American Police Beat)
• Repetitive head impacts and trauma: The missing piece in suicide prevention (American Police Beat)
• Police self-care strategies (National Center for PTSD)
• PTSD self-screen (National Center for PTSD)
• Mental health and suicide prevention resources (LAAPOA)