The United States Department of Justice this week released a report focusing on the mental health and safety of the nation’s federal, state, local and tribal police officers. The MNPD’s approach to ensuring employee mental health and wellness is included in the publication Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies, which is designed to provide an overview of multiple successful and promising law enforcement mental health and wellness strategies with the joint aims of informing Congress, state and local government officials, and the law enforcement field.
“Our police department’s Behavioral Health Division, headed by Dr. Carol Harp, does amazing behind the scenes work by providing such services as critical incident debriefings for employees and making counseling sessions available as needed,” Chief Steve Anderson said. “Their work is vitally important to an overall healthy police department.”
The report was published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS office) as required by the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017.
“A damaging national narrative has emerged in which law enforcement officers – whether federal, state, local, or tribal – are seen not as protectors of communities but as oppressors," said COPS Office Director and former Knoxville Police Chief Phil Keith. “In this environment, where an inherently stressful job is made more so by a constant undercurrent of distrust and negative public opinion, the risks to officer wellness are exacerbated. This report is an important measure and reflection in our ongoing commitment to protect those who protect us."
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