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### Policing:            A Noble Profession,            A Stressful Job

 May 2019 | Volume 12 | Issue 4

Every day, the  United States’ 800,000 police officers, deputies, troopers, and agents shoulder  responsibility for keeping our communities safe, helping those in need, and  running toward incidents that the average person runs from. For these reasons,  a career in law enforcement has long been viewed by society as a noble pursuit.  However, what is not commonly known by those who have never worn the badge or  had a family member who has is that a career in law enforcement can come at an  emotional cost to the men and women who pursue it. 

      In support of  efforts to reduce the emotional burden inherent to the profession, this month the  U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released two complementary reports that focus  on the mental health and safety of the nation’s federal, state, local and  tribal police officers. The reports, *Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness  Act: Report to Congress* and *Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness  Programs: Eleven Case Studies*, were published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services  (COPS Office) as required by the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act  (LEMHWA) of 2017.

 LEMHWA passed  both chambers of Congress unanimously, without amendment, and was signed by the  president shortly thereafter. These actions show that its purpose and intended  effects are uncontroversial among policymakers—law enforcement agencies need  and deserve support in their ongoing efforts to protect the mental health and  well-being of their employees. 

"Serving  as a law enforcement officer requires courage, strength, and dedication,"  Attorney General William P. Barr said. "The demands of this work, day in  and day out, can take a toll on the health and well-being of our officers, but  the Department of Justice is committed to doing our part to help. I want to  thank the men and women of our COPS Office for their hard work to support our  officers every day, and specifically for these thoughtful and insightful  reports, which detail both the challenges facing our officers and some specific  ways we can give them the support that they deserve."

 "A  damaging national narrative has emerged in which law enforcement officers—whether  federal, state, local, or tribal—are seen not as protectors of communities but  as oppressors," said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “In this  environment, where an inherently stressful job is made more so by a constant  undercurrent of distrust and negative public opinion, the risks to officer  wellness are exacerbated. This report is an important measure and reflection in  our ongoing commitment to protect those who protect us."

 Under LEMHWA,  the DOJ was required to submit reports to Congress that addressed the following:
        - Recommendations  to Congress on effectiveness of crisis lines for law enforcement officers,  efficacy of annual mental health checks for law enforcement officers, expansion  of peer mentoring programs, and ensuring privacy considerations for these types  of programs
        - Mental  health practices and services in the U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD) and  Veterans Affairs (VA) that could be adopted by federal, state, local, or tribal  law enforcement agencies
        - Case  studies of programs designed primarily to address officer psychological health  and well-being

The first  report, *Law Enforcement  Mental Health and Wellness Act: Report to Congress*, includes 22 recommendations to Congress  ranging from supporting programs to embed mental health professionals in law  enforcement agencies to supporting the development of model policies and  implementation guidance for law enforcement agencies to make substantial  efforts to reduce suicide.

 The case  studies report, *Law Enforcement  Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies*, is designed to provide an overview of  multiple successful and promising law enforcement mental health and wellness  strategies with the joint aims of informing Congress, state and local  government officials, and the law enforcement field. The report includes 11  case studies from a diverse group of sites across the United States. 

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