POINT OF VIEW

Police officers need mental health dialogue, resources

Posted

I have often said that officers should not be the first line of defense in the event of a mental health crisis. That we ask our officers to do too much for every emergency.

But what about when that emergency moment is impacting officers themselves?

This is a crisis that often goes unseen, as officers suffer in silence, not made visible in tragedy and loss. Recently, a retired sergeant took his life on Staten Island, the 10th current or retired officer to lose their life to suicide in 2019 — up from an average of five deaths annually for the last five years.

As police suicides nationally have risen across the country in recent years — and continue to rise in 2019 — these NYPD deaths represent nearly 7 percent of the 139 officer suicides nationwide this year. A plurality of NYPD suicides in 2019 has occurred on Staten Island. These tragedies represent a culmination of past failures in addressing mental health issues, and a clear urgency for life-saving change.

It’s often extremely difficult — institutionally, societally, personally — to talk about mental health or seek help in a time of need, and these pressures are amplified for our men and women in blue.

We need to break down the barriers preventing officers from seeking help, and ensure that such aid is there when needed.

It’s critical that throughout the city and across all ranks, New York City’s police force is equipped with the support systems and resources needed to address mental health concerns, both in times of emergency and proactively to prevent such a crisis moment.

In my roundtable discussion with policing organizations recently, we all had an opportunity to talk about it, and to be heard.

What we heard was real, raw and deeply troubling, while at the same time, presenting a pathway toward progress. We heard stories of the pressures placed on police to meet rigid “performance goals,” and of that same inflexibility when it came to meeting requests for precinct reassignments or shift changes that would greatly improve morale.

We heard about the seen and unseen consequences of seeking help, of the potential to be “psyched out” of advancement or of service — the penalties for admitting one’s pain.

We heard the suffering and struggles of officers sworn to protect, who felt unprotected.

This is not meant to be an indictment of the department on these issues. In fact, the NYPD has taken a number of steps in recent years and months to provide greater access to mental health services — most recently including peer counseling programs and expanded mental health insurance coverage.

At the same time, we heard from officers that this insurance comes without assurance of anonymity, preventing many from making use of these outlets. Obstacles come from societal stigma and bureaucratic barriers, and solutions need to combat both.

What we also heard — and what gives me hope — is that there are also tangible, concrete ways that we can reduce the risks of tragedy, and create an environment in which mental health is not normalized, not stigmatized. These solutions have come directly from people most affected, from the officers who see a structure, and a culture that discourages open conversation. The solutions are there, and we should be able to talk about them.

We should talk about implementing regular mental health check-ins, just as officers need to annually re-train on their ability to use a firearm, they should regularly be made aware of potential warning signs in mental health and resources available, if needed.

We should talk about giving officers an anonymous way to talk about it, a hotline that links officers to aid without exposing them to any potential criticism or consequences that might be keeping them from coming forward and seeking help. My office has already drafted legislation to create this resource, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to get it done.

We should talk about access to weaponry, about the fact that having a firearm in the home at the time of a mental health crisis can increase the likelihood of resorting to suicide. Putting in place a temporary process for those in severe mental distress could be lifesaving.

It’s not about a penalty or threat, nor about creating a permanent status. It’s about meeting a crisis moment by removing a firearm that could escalate a mental crisis to a physical one. We need to come to an understanding, one of trust and confidentiality, of safety, in order to explore these steps.

It’s not going to be an easy conversation, but we need to be able to talk about it.

We should talk about showing people it’s OK to talk about it, by releasing testimonials that show the department and public alike the humanity of the men and women in blue. That might help show viewers that they do not need to struggle in solitude.

We should also formalize peer mentorship programs that mean an officer always has someone to talk to about career, advancement, and the day-to-day issues officers face.

We have to talk about it, because while talking about an issue is rarely enough to create change, reforming an approach to mental health and wellness begins with breaking down stigma, with open and ongoing dialogue. To start that conversation, someone needs to speak up.

The night I was elected public advocate — now six months ago — I went off-script. Overcome by emotions as I spoke, I recognized the need for people to speak about their own emotions, and to be open about mental health.

I’ve been in therapy for more than three years now, and it’s among the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was important for me to talk about it, because it’s important for everyone to be able to talk about it. It’s important for us to reframe how we treat mental health, so that people will have the courage to treat their own.

As I spoke from the heart, I was speaking to black men everywhere who felt ashamed or embarrassed to be open about their mental health struggles, discouraged by a societal stigma that celebrates stoicism over self-care.

I was speaking to people who work inside 1 Police Plaza, and those who protest outside it. I was speaking because I believe that it’s long past time to move from stigma to solutions.

Let’s talk about it.

The author is New York City’s public advocate. A version of this Point of View originally appeared in the Staten Island Advance in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10.

 

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