U.S. Department
of Justice
Blog Post
COPS Office Resources for Mental Health and Wellbeing of Law Enforcement
The month of May is a special one for the field of law enforcement. Not only is it Mental Health Awareness Month, but May 12 – 18 is Police Week, a time dedicated to honoring the memory of the law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. During this month, the COPS Office would like to emphasize the importance of law enforcement officers’ mental health in addition to their physical health. The occupational fatality rate for law enforcement is three to five times greater than the national average for the working population. The officers who protect us must also be protected against incapacitating mental and emotional health problems, as well as against the hazards of their job.
The COPS Office has played an integral part in the creation of initiatives to advance the mental health and wellness of law enforcement officers in each community. The following resources are just a few from the vast library that the COPS Office has built to help agencies prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of law enforcement officers.
National Officer Safety and Wellness Group (OSWG)
The COPS Office and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) formed the National Officer Safety and Wellness Group (OSWG) in 2011 to bring attention to the safety and wellness needs of law enforcement officers following a number of high-profile ambushes on police. The OSWG has raised awareness, increased knowledge, and encouraged law enforcement agencies to adopt practices that recognize that the most valuable resources a law enforcement agency has are the officers who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.
In April 2018, the OSWG convened to expand previous discussions of ways to support officers’ emotional health and organizational wellness. The 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.
The report, Officers’ Physical and Mental Health and Safety: Emerging Issues and Recommendations, details the discussion from the meeting.
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act
In January of 2018, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) was signed into law. The act recognizes that law enforcement agencies need and deserve support in their ongoing efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of their employees. The COPS Office recently released two reports to accompany the LEMHWA program, which is a competitive solicitation that is open until May 28, 2019. Law enforcement leaders, use these reports for guidance and tips on how you can incorporate mental health resources into your agencies to benefit the mental health of your officers.
- The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act: Report to Congress contains recommendations to Congress on effectiveness of crisis lines for law enforcement officers, efficacy of annual mental health checks for law enforcement officers, expansion of peer mentoring programs, and ensuring privacy considerations for these types of programs.
- The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies resource contains case studies published by the COPS Office designed primarily to address officer psychological health and well-being.
Visit the LEMHWA program and resources pages for more information.
Further Resources
The COPS Office believes that, in order for law enforcement officers to effectively keep our country and our communities safe, their mental and psychological health is just as essential as their physical health. The below publications are additional resources designed to advance the mental health awareness efforts in the field of law enforcement:
For more information on the COPS Office’s dedication to officer safety and wellness, visit the Officer Safety and Wellness page.
Updated May 25, 2021