Nine out of 10. In 2018, a national survey of law enforcement officers across the United States found that nine out of 10 officers believed that there was stigma within the profession that prevented them from asking for mental health support if needed.^[1]Martin, S., Stulberger, E., Ushery, D., & Manney, D. (2019). Report on FOP/NBC Survey of Police Officer Mental and Behavioral Health. fop.net

For a profession in which the rate of suicide among the ranks was higher than the rate of line-of-duty death, this sense of stigma created a huge hurdle that was finally being recognized. If we wanted to save the lives of our brothers and sisters in blue who were dying by their own hands, not only did we need to start talking about what was happening, we needed to start doing something. Although we had been talking about police suicide for years at that time, there were few proactive programs working to get at the root causes of issues that led to officer suicide, and even less research into the effectiveness of any potential remedies.

In 2019, the National FOP began a permanent effort to expand resources dedicated to ensuring that our nation’s officers stay well.

With the results of that 2018 survey, the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) began to put plans in motion. The leadership of the nation’s largest organization of police officers in the world, an organization run by police to build solutions that work for police, recognized that it was necessary to not only support and defend the rights and working conditions of officers, but also to support and defend their well-being. In 2019, the National FOP began a permanent effort to expand resources dedicated to ensuring that our nation’s officers stay well.

As a first step, the FOP began to identify mental health professionals and programs that were experienced and qualified to serve members of law enforcement and their families. Developing a standardized vetting framework for several types of providers and programs, including individual mental health clinicians, residential treatment programs, wellness training programs, crisis hotlines and other wellness products, the FOP set the practice of building bridges between officers and professionals who can help keep them well.

The vetting of providers and programs for expertise in serving members of law enforcement is a necessary process that has led to the development of a network of support for officers across the country. Through this initiative, not only has the FOP encouraged wellness providers to increase their competence at working with law enforcement, but it has set a standard by which agencies, officers and their families can be assured of effective help. Each provider in the FOP’s Approved Provider Bulletin (fop.net/officer-wellness/approved-provider-bulletin-apb) has been vetted by a team of police officers for competence to serve members of law enforcement. In the past year, over 70 new providers and programs have been added, with more being added every day.

Despite the growing number of qualified professionals being identified to help police, research with police officers has consistently indicated that the service most preferred is peer support. Recognizing that there was a lack of a national standard in training specifically for law enforcement peer support, the FOP entered into a cooperative agreement with the COPS Office arm of the U.S. Department of Justice to build such a standard of training for law enforcement officers wishing to be trained to support their brethren. The Power in Peers course, now available to agencies across the nation, trains peer support officers in the most current and effective methods for supporting their peers not only in the aftermath of critical incidents faced on the job, but also through times of other job-related or personal crises. Through the Power in Peers program, the narrative around stigma and struggle is shifting to one of growth, empowerment and support. As officers across the country become Power in Peers–trained supporting peer mentors, the FOP is building a national network of trained peers, providing further options for officers who may need support. The ability to reach out to a trained peer in another town or state will provide officers with another layer of support that they may not otherwise seek for fear of being “found out.” Confidentiality is key, and programs that take every opportunity to ensure officer privacy will hopefully increase officer confidence in utilizing the programs provided.

With the Biennial Critical Issues in Policing Survey series, the National FOP has established a practice of listening to and documenting the voices of officers about their views, experiences and needs. By conducting a national survey of officers every two years, important data about the prevalence of health issues among officers can be measured over time. Changes in the rate of suicidal ideation, planning and attempts can be tracked, and valuable information about the effectiveness of wellness programs can be gained. As the profession continues to work to prevent suicide in our ranks, it is imperative that we remain informed about the root causes of police stress and the effectiveness of programs designed to decrease it.

The 2023 survey delivered some promising news. Perception of stigma around help-seeking by those surveyed showed an 11% decrease from 2021.^[2]Martin, S. & Drew, J.M. (2023). Critical Issues in Policing Survey: Comprehensive Report of 2021 Survey Findings. A Collaboration Between the National Fraternal Order of Police and Griffith … Continue reading There are now dozens of organizations working to increase support services for law enforcement officers and their families. Research into the sources of police distress has increased, and programs are being developed and examined for effectiveness and competence.

But there is still work to be done.

The top factor reducing stigma within the profession is recognition of and conversation about the importance of mental health.

With the introduction of the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) program, the federal government has increased funding and support for police agencies to develop wellness programs for their personnel. However, a quick look around the country shows varying degrees of development of wellness initiatives from department to department. The fact is, the more wellness programs an agency can offer to their personnel, the lower the psychological distress of their employees, and the lower the stigma attached to utilizing the services provided.^[3]3 Drew, J. M., & Martin, S. (2021). A National Study of Police Mental Health in the USA: Stigma, Mental Health and Help-Seeking Behaviors. Journal of Police & Criminal Psychology, 36, … Continue reading Therefore, work to get services for agencies that lack them is critical. Funding for these programs must be sustained, which is sometimes a challenge with tightened agency budgets. With reduced staffing experienced by some agencies, sacrificing personnel so that officers can be trained as peer supporters may be a non-starter. Buy-in is still a problem too. Some may consider wellness support for personnel to be a “nice to have” rather than a “necessity.” The fact that suicides still occur within our profession proves otherwise.

From the data gathered in national surveys and anecdotes provided by officers around the country, some light has been shed on what is still needed and what is working to reduce and prevent suicide among law enforcement. The top factor reducing stigma within the profession is recognition of and conversation about the importance of mental health. Both inside and outside of the job, conversations about mental health have increased in recent years, normalizing attention to the issue. Leadership plays a pivotal role in the well-being of personnel, with officers consistently rating organizational stressors more impactful than stressors related to critical incidents experienced in the line of police duty. By taking the lead and delivering the message that mental health is important, leaders at all levels of an organization can help their fellow officers find support when needed. Our profession has only just begun this journey, but we are well on the way to driving down rates of police suicide with data-driven solutions influenced by those who need our support. We need only to keep talking and listening to each other.