Counseling is always an option if significant problems develop down the road. While each family will have its own unique style, here are suggestions that will work for most. If it's desired, everyone in the family should have access to a debriefing and counseling with mental health professionals. For example, one person may cherish personal privacy and feel threatened if another member needs to talk about the event with others outside the family. Try to allow for everyone s needs to be reasonably met with a respectful compromise.
Open communication is always helpful to families, both within and outside the family.
However, it may be harder to gain acceptance for a family-support team within the agency than it is for officer teams. The following tips have worked in many police agencies. Team members who are also officers can help the team negotiate agency policies and politics. Since family members are more likely to be isolated from each other than officers are, you may have to make that extra effort to reach out to help them overcome this isolation. All significant others should be invited to participate in the teams support activities.