ABSTRACT
Helping offi cers in distress, let alone those whose troubles may at least be partially self-induced, takes all the skills of a crisis counselor, psychotherapist, and patient advocate (Blau, 1994; Miller, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2006c, 2007c, 2007d; Russell & Beigel, 1990). The purpose of this chapter is not to provide legal advice, nor to encourage you to second-guess the decisions of your offi cer’s administrators or command staff, the overwhelming majority of whom are honorable public servants, dedicated to the welfare of their personnel and their communities. This chapter will provide the police psychologist and other mental health practitioners who work with law enforcement and public safety personnel with practical information on the main reasons why law enforcement offi cers fi nd themselves in internal investigatory and/or legal trouble; the types of consequences for such actions; the range of psychological reactions to an internal investigation; the main coping strategies that police psychologists can help these offi cers utilize to psychologically survive the ordeals of investigation, prosecution, possible incarceration, and civil litigation; specifi c psychotherapy techniques for special cases of offi cers in trouble; and suggestions for ethical collaboration between the police psychologist and the offi cer’s legal counsel. The emphasis throughout this chapter is on the police psychologist’s role as a treating clinician and advocate for the offi cer’s psychological wellbeing, and is not intended to provide legal advice. [Note: For linguistic ease, the male pronoun will be used to denote both male and female offi cers.]
Police offi cers are hardly the only professionals who are investigated, disciplined, prosecuted, and/ or sued for unprofessional and/or illegal conduct (Miller, 2004, 2006c, 2008a). A comprehensive but nonexhaustive list includes federal agents, local police offi cers, fi refi ghters, paramedics, medical and mental health clinicians, attorneys and judges, protective services and court personnel, clergy, airline and other transportation workers, corporate or government managers or executives, political fi gures, and military personnel.
