Ptsd In Law Enforcement Essay

Mental illness is a growing topic within the law enforcement community; specifically, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We see it in our communities in many ways. Law enforcement officers are facing PTSD in front and behind the badge. Within this paper I will discuss the topic of PTSD and how it relates to policing. To begin, I will define Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is a traumatic event that involves actual or threatened death, serious injury or other threat to the integrity of the person or others. PTSD involves intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Despite being an infrequent event, exposure to violence and trauma serve as potentially debilitating stressors for law enforcement personnel (Lanterman et al. 2010). Police Officers have the potential of exposure to numerous traumatic events such as the death of a young child, armed robbery, as well as, shooting someone in the line of duty. When I began my research I was focused on these moments and how some my experience PTSD and related symptoms and others do not. Are they predisposed to PTSD when they are born? Are there traits that help an individual process a traumatic event in a healthy way? Is there ways to prevent PTSD? I wanted to learn about these questions to insure I am prepared in an uncertain world. …show more content…
He stated, the closer one is to their victim, at the moment a decision is made to kill, the more likely they are to experience PTSD related symptoms. When analyzing how this relates to policing, I looked at the type of weapon used by most police departments. Law Enforcement personnel are typically issued a hand gun. This pistol (often a 9mm) will be with them through every call they go on. When faced with a life threatening situation an officer is often times within 20 feet of their victim. This proximity to their victim makes them primed for PTSD related