ABSTRACT
Law enforcement officers (LEOs) have unique duties relative to other first responders when working the scene of a fatal crash. Additionally, they are often the first ones to arrive on the scenes of such incidents. Extensive literature pertaining to the sources of stress and post-traumatic stress disorder for LEOs exists. For example, a particularly potent factor identified in this literature is dealing with death, including the death of a child or colleague (Horn, 1990; Spielberger, Westberry, Grier, & Greenfield, 1981; Violanti & Aron, 1995). However, while this factor is experienced by LEOs during fatal crash investigations and is of demonstrated importance empirically, very little empirical attention has been paid to other psychological factors as they pertain specifically to fatal crash investigations. Most of the literature pertaining to fatal crash investigation examines the prevention of, as well as the risk for onset of, a post-traumatic stress reaction.
