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Two video clips, one from Newtown, Connecticut, the other from Thurston County, Washington, show patrol officers in the fight for their lives. These and similar incidents illustrate a broader, tragic reality of people becoming more comfortable using violence against the police.
Surviving the fight for their life is only the first hurdle. In the first few hours, Emily Hitchings, a former police officer and clinician who works with first responders, wants officers to receive medical care for traumatic injuries, as well as psychological first aid. After the assault, make sure the officer feels physically safe, lowers their hyper-vigilance and keeps trusted peers close. Hitchings stresses that some cops need to process vocally while others need quiet time. Either way, she cautioned, “What we don’t want is for people to isolate and pretend that it didn’t happen.”
Recovery from a violent assault should trend steadily upward. Persistent nightmares, intrusive thoughts, abnormal sleep, avoidance of time with friends and family or soaring anxiety are red flags.
“If those signs continue to happen right around that two to three weeks mark, and they’re not getting better, it’s time to go talk to a clinician,” Hitchings said. “Somebody who is culturally competent and trauma-informed.”
Finally, peer-support teams should stay available to the officer well past the initial physical healing and media attention to support officers who might have a delayed or ongoing stress reaction to the attack on their life.
After the assault | Supporting officers post-incident
“What we don’t want is for people to isolate and pretend that it didn’t happen.”
About The Brief: Wellness Edition
The Brief: Wellness Edition video series explores the wellness implications of current events for public safety professionals. Each episode brings a timely conversation that connects unfolding events to the day-to-day realities of first responders.
