Resources

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US Department of Justice 

April 2021 | Deborah Spence & Jessica Drake – COPS Office  

This report assesses the availability of existing mental health resources for law enforcement agencies; it provides a review of peer responder programs and makes recommendations for establishing evidence-based behavioral health and suicide prevention efforts for both law enforcement and other frst responders as requested by the Committee.

In the 2010s, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. In 2018, more than 48,000 Americans died by suicide, half of those using a firearm. Although some segments of the population have higher rates of suicide than others, no part of our society is immune. In the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 4.3 percent of adults reported serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.

COPS Office Publications 

October 2019 | James Copple & Christopher Smith – SAI/COPS Office  

In November 2018, the OSW Group continued and expanded on previous discussions of methods of supporting emotional health and organizational wellness; this meeting focused particularly on line-of-duty deaths (in felonious assaults as well as in accidents), mental health and suicide, and crisis hotlines and other programs to help address law enforcement health and safety.

There is important work to be done in this area, and families, community members, and others can contribute as well by supporting officer safety and wellness, participating in conversations and programming, and working to reduce the negative stigma surrounding mental health issues.

COPS Office Publications 

April 2019 | Colleen Copple, Jessica Drake, Nola Joyce, Mary-Jo Robinson, Sean Smoot, Darrel Stephens, Roberto Villasenor – SAI/COPS Office

The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017 calls for the COPS Office to publish case studies of programs designed primarily to address officer psychological health and well-being. Aiming to focus on innovative but replicable programs in law enforcement agencies of various sizes around the country, the authors conducted 11 case studies of programs in 10 departments and one call-in crisis line. Each chapter of this publication describes agencies’ programs and their origins, focusing on elements that can be implemented elsewhere in the effort to protect the mental and emotional health of law enforcement officers, their nonsworn colleagues, and their families.

COPS Office Publications 

November 2018 | SAI/COPS Office

The OSW Group’s April 2018 meeting expanded on previous discussions of ways to support officers’ emotional health and organizational wellness. This meeting focused particularly on line-of-duty deaths in felonious assaults as well as in accidents, mental health and suicide, and crisis hotlines and other programs. Families, community members, and others can contribute to the important work that is needed in this area by supporting officer safety and wellness, participating in conversations and programming, and working to reduce the negative stigma surrounding mental health issues.

COPS Office Publications 

December 2018 | Mary-Jo Robinson & Christopher Smith – SAI/COPS Office

In August 2017, 40 rank-and-file officers met for a roundtable to discuss their roles in implementing their agencies’ community policing policies and operations. The officers came from departments across the country and explored a wide range of issues from the viewpoint of those who work on the ground. 

The meeting provided insights and recommendations for ways in which officers, law enforcement leaders, and communities can work together to reduce crime – in particular, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime. They also discussed the need to support officer morale, safety, and wellness and explored emerging issues such as the growing opioid epidemic, providing forthright assessments of the current state of policing.

COPS Office Publications 

July 2018 | SAI/COPS Office

Law enforcement officers face many hazards in the line of duty. Though injuries from assaults and vehicular accidents are the most obvious, stress, cardiovascular disease, depression, and suicide are also serious job-related risks. What’s more, these problems are even more common than assaults and vehicular accidents and can have fatal consequences as well. In October 2017, the Officer Safety and Wellness Group met to address these concerns, focusing on three main topics: (1) emotional health and organizational wellness, (2) officer suicide, and (3) felonious assaults on officers. In addition to discussing current priorities, participants recommended a wide variety of steps to improve officer safety and wellness. Among them were changes in organizational culture to lessen the stigma surrounding emotional distress, event response protocols for suicides, strategies to strengthen emotional resilience, and improved data collection related to felonious assaults.

COPS Office Publications 

October 2015 |  SAI/COPS Office

The ‪Policing Task Force‬ Implementation Guide highlights specific actions for local elected and appointed government officials, law enforcement agencies, communities and other stakeholders to support a comprehensive approach to reduce crime and build trust and legitimacy. Download your copy and let us know your successes and challenges.

COPS Office Publication 

May 2015 |  SAI/COPS Office

Trust between law enforcement agencies and the people they protect and serve is essential in a democracy. It is key to the stability of our communities, the integrity of our criminal justice system, and the safe and effective delivery of policing services.

In light of recent events that have exposed rifts in the relationships between local police and the communities they protect and serve, on December 18, 2014, President Barack Obama signed an executive order establishing the Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The President charged the task force with identifying best practices and offering recommendations on how policing practices can promote effective crime reduction while building public trust.