Roundtable Addresses Mental Health and PTSD for Law Enforcement
Due to the unique challenges of their job, law enforcement officers experience higher risks of depression, suicide and even marriage failure. These issues, along with other mental health issues and PTSD are often products of the sustained levels of heightened stress officers undergo as well as traumatic experiences such as losing a limb or investigating horrific crimes.
Being in Law Enforcement for almost thirty years, I understand what it is like to leave for work not knowing if you would see your family that evening. My heart goes out to the officers who put themselves in harm's way to keep our communities safe. To help address the prevalence of mental health issues and PTSD among officers, I recently convened a roundtable with stakeholders around the state. The WI Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, Badger State Sheriffs Association, Wisconsin Chiefs of Police, Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Wisconsin County Police Association, Milwaukee Police Association, County Law Enforcement Professionals and the Department of Justice all took part in the meeting.
This was a good opportunity to start the ball rolling on how we can help the men and women who give so much in their positions. This is just the beginning of this conversation, and I am looking forward to implementing tools that can make a real difference for our officers, and our communities.
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