Law enforcement professionals' wellness and mental health is an absolute leadership challenge. In my experience, there is a significant need to tend to the needs of these first responders as they encounter the unthinkable. As leaders, it is imperative to not only understand the importance but demystify the approach to normalizing this need and be intentional in making these services available early and often. 

Background The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness ActLinks to an external site. of 2017 (LEMHWA) was signed into law in January 2018, recognizing that law enforcement agencies need and deserve support in their ongoing efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of their employees. Good mental and psychological health is just as essential as good physical health for law enforcement officers to be effective in keeping our country and our communities safe from crime and violence (US DOJ: https://cops.usdoj.gov/lemhwaresources)Links to an external site.

Examine the current approach to first responder professional (sworn and non-sworn) wellness and mental health. You need not answer all of these questions but they are prompts to get your discussion going: 

How does the approach to wellness/mental health impact the relationship between law enforcement and the public?  

Is society paying proper deference to officer wellness and mental health?  

Are law enforcement organizations paying proper deference to officer wellness and mental health?

Is there a correlation between an officer's wellness/mental health and their ability to engage in fair and impartial interactions with the public? 

Why is this a leadership problem? 

The following are some resources to get you moving in your evaluation of this topic:

https://institutesofhealth.org/ptsd-in-first-responders/Links to an external site. https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/media/document/imp_responder_mental_health-508.pdf

Links to an external site. https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Frontline-Wellness/2021/

Documenting-the-Traumas-of-First-RespondersLinks to an external site. https://thecode9project.org/Links to an external site