How PTSD Impacts Policing in America
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What are the consequences of unrealistic expectations of police officers?
“We tell the police you are a social worker, you're the parent, you're the teacher, you're the drug counselor," President Obama said in his speech at the memorial for the five fallen officers in Dallas. "We tell them to keep those neighborhoods in check at all costs. And do so without causing any political blowback or inconvenience. Don't make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind. And then we feign surprise when periodically the tensions boil over.”
Related: Audio Highlights of Obama's Address in Dallas
Those words remind America that law enforcement is often tasked with much more than it first appears, and the toll of emotional fatigue, stress, and trauma is great.
Statistics of police officers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are sparse and varying, in part because the issue is understudied, and in part because of underreporting — many officers suffer from PTSD in silence due to the stigma associated with the disorder within the police community.
John Violanti, a former police officer with the New York State Police and a professor at the University of Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions, researches the effects of stress and PTSD on law enforcement. Here, he explains how police officers are and aren't trained to cope with the trauma and stress associated with active duty, and how these issues play out in the streets.
Related: John Hockenberry on Race, Police, and America
