Assignment: Future of Policing Topic: Police Officer Mental Health This must be a three-page typewritten paper (double-spaced, margins no more than 1” per side, font no larger than 12 point). To...

Police Officer Mental Health        4
POLICE OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH
Table of Contents
Introduction    3
Analysis    3
Conclusion    5
References    6
Introduction
    The mental health conditions of the law enforcement officers or the police force are very often overlooked universally. The mental health issues among the police officers can impact their well-being and reduce the ability to perform their duties effectively. The mental health issue which we will discuss is the post-traumatic stress disorders. The long-term impact of PTSD can lead to behavioral changes in the attitudes in the form of substance abuse, rage or aggressive behavior and suicide attempts among the police officers. Hence, it is essential that the police officers should initiate prudent decisions which are beneficial for the safety of the public. Further, the police officers are obligated to use the deadly physical force by themselves in order to stop confrontation or any criminal acts. These decisions are intensified with PTSD.
Analysis
    According to research, it is found that approximately 15% of the police officers in US have symptoms associated with PTSD. Further, around 25% of the police officers have experienced suicidal idea atleast once in their lifetime (Walden University, 2021). It is important due to the fact that the decisions taken by the police officers are complex, fast paced, unclear and inadequate data. Hence, it’s the police officers themselves who need to decide whether to use the deadly force or not. The decisions related to the deadly force are not to shoot, shots missed and incorrect tactics which can cost the lives of the bystanders or injuring them. Further, the officers are exposed to received traumatic calls on a daily basis while conducting their duty. These calls include the child abuse, car accidents, domestic violence and homicides. Thus, repeated exposures to these calls creates mental anxiety, stress and traumatic symptoms observed in the police officers (Jetelina et. al, 2020). Recently in 2019, the death rate of the police officers was twice as much due to suicide than due to other incidents (Blue Help, 2019). In Buffalo under...