Policing has long been regarded as one of the most stressful and dangerous professions. Constant exposure to critical and traumatic incidents exerts a toll on police officers’ mental health, yet many acknowledge they have mental health issues for which they have not sought treatment (Heyman et al., 2018). Not only do police officers face occupational and organizational stressors they are also subjected to being second-guessed or vilified by the media and social justice groups nationwide. Concern for police officers’ mental health and wellness is not new. Still, it has gained critical traction after the events on September 11, 2001 and with the attention given to the rise in officer suicides (Gibson, 2020). Employee wellness programs can improve productivity, reduce unhealthy lifestyle choices, decrease absenteeism, improve employee’s mental and emotional state, and help prevent family problems at home which can result in divorce (Crawford, 2020).
Law enforcement agencies must make employee wellness a priority from the top down. By dedicating resources, training, budget, and investing the time to change the culture, agencies prioritize their employees, their employees’ families, and their communities. Mentally and physically healthy officers are more productive at work, receive fewer complaints from the community, and bring fewer issues home with them. Law enforcement agencies cannot change the high levels of occupational stressors, traumatic incidents, but they can be cognizant of the signs and symptoms of officers exposed to mental health issues. Agencies can teach officers how to establish healthy coping mechanisms, learn resiliency, and the importance of communication at work and home to create better support systems and access to resources when needed. Employee health and wellness will have the most significant overall impact on policing going forward.
The repeated exposure to trauma and the recent lack of support from the community, media, and government agencies has created an urgency for law enforcement organizations across the nation to implement effective employee wellness programs. The Phoenix Police Department’s employee wellness model should serve as a guide for other law enforcement agencies to help their employees successfully navigate careers in law enforcement and into a healthy retirement. The Phoenix Police Department’s prioritization of its employees’ physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellness, along with the emphasis on normalizing mental health assistance, and implementing numerous policies that have a positive impact on employee health and wellness, have led to the agency being recognized as a model for best practices. Other law enforcement agencies have requested assistance in developing a health and wellness team based on this model.