A 2023 study published in the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology highlighted the growing prevalence of depression, PTSD, suicide ideation, and other mental health issues police officers experience.
At any given time, police officers are expected to put their lives on the line, facing the unpredictability of human behavior while simultaneously demonstrating the soft skills necessary to interact with the public. This can create a disassociation of emotions, forming on-the-job coping strategies that do not translate cohesively to officers’ personal lives.
The study revealed that social media is being used extensively to expose the misconduct of a small group of police officers, which, unfortunately, puts a spotlight on the worst in the profession rather than the overwhelming majority of dutiful and law-abiding peace officers. This disparaging trend increases officer stress as they try to protect their communities, even those in their communities that condemn them. Shockingly, the study further notes that the suicide rate for law enforcement officers is 82% higher than that of the general public.
The Dallas Express sat down with Rabbi Andrew Paley to discuss the mental health impact of stress on officers in the Dallas Police Department. Rabbi Paley is the DPD chaplain for the North Central Patrol Division, chair of the police chief’s Multi-Faith Advisory Council, and a Good Neighbor Task Force member for District 12.
Seven chaplains in the department provide officers with an added layer of support. Rabbi Paley is the only chaplain from the Jewish community, and he has been in active ministry for 29 years.
“The police department wants the officers to know there is help,” Rabbi Paley said.
Visiting with a chaplain is not mandatory and is just one of many resources open to officers struggling with the stressors of the job. Other resources include departmental support, licensed mental health counselors, and a DPD Wellness Unit. The unit encourages officers to speak with other officers. Additionally, officers have their own support systems outside of the department to lean on, including loved ones and, hopefully, the community.
The Wellness Unit is an initiative spearheaded by DPD Chief Eddie Garcia. The unit was formed in May 2022. It has a full-time staff of one lieutenant, a sergeant, and five officers. They aim to provide their colleagues with empathy, compassion, and support before anyone encounters a personal or professional crisis.
“We’re changing the culture [so] that it is okay to ask for help. We have officers and units that are going after the worst of the worst that society has to offer, day in and day out — that takes a toll,” Chief Garcia shared with The Dallas Express. “Just as it is important to train our officers for those calls, making sure they are well equipped and have the best training and technology to do their jobs, as a department, it’s just as important to make sure they are mentally well. If I show you a healthy officer — a mentally, physically healthier officer — that’s an officer who better serves our city and [the] people we swore to protect.”
Chief Garcia implemented another program in September 2022, which City Manager T.C. Broadnax authorized. The program allows officers to take 30 days of administrative leave to get alcohol abuse treatment. However, officers must request assistance before any violation of DPD policies or procedures occurs.
The challenge has been that many police officers are less than forthcoming when discussing their mental health, Rabbi Paley explained. Building relationships is key, and it begins with being present and putting in the time, he said, noting that he tries to visit the station once a week.
“The officers appreciate the chaplains and understand why we are here, whether they use our services or not — they know we are here for them.” Rabbi Paley further explained that “not everyone needs a chaplain, but it would be a disappointment if police departments didn’t have chaplains as they provide an extra layer of support and confidentiality and the possibility of conversations that officers couldn’t necessarily have if mandated to see someone from the department.”
“We are not there to evangelize or study the Bible — that’s not the purpose,” Rabbi Paley said. “We are not there to preach. We are there to provide support. Chaplains have an opportunity to be a source of reflection for the officers, and I take these conversations seriously.”
The prevalent stressors Rabbi Paley said he sees with officers at DPD revolve around relational issues, particularly family stress, and how to decompress from work and transition to a healthy way of being when present with family.
“The work our police officers do is incredibly difficult. They are asked to make unbelievably complex decisions over and over again, often daily. It is hard for some officers to decompress and decompartmentalize, especially if they are involved in a traumatic experience,” he said.
Rabbi Paley explained that “helping officers process what they have seen and how it is making them feel is important,” noting that channeling emotions in a positive, constructive way is vital. “This is a reality of the job — they have high octane pressures.”
He said he makes certain to refer officers to licensed therapists to manage levels of trauma beyond his scope of assistance. The rabbi acknowledges that mental health is not to be diminished.
“Once these officers see something, they cannot unsee it. They can bury it, but it will eventually come out. They have to develop healthy coping mechanisms,” he said.
DPD has been trying to chip away at the mental health stigma in the department through the chaplain program, Wellness Unit, and other resources to “demonstrate the love and the support that they have for the officers and their families, to let them know that they do not have to bear the weight of the stressors of the job alone, [that] there are ways for them to unburden themselves without it impacting their career or making them feel not as capable,” Rabbi Paley told The Dallas Express.
Chief Garcia added, “We want to normalize that it is okay to talk about the things you see and experience and for our department to provide whatever resources we can to better our officers and their families, personally and professionally. This unit is saving lives, changing lives, and creating a stronger police department for our city.”
Rabbi Paley said the community can support the police more through simple things such as promoting the good that police officers do and going to their local police station and introducing themselves. “You will find the police officers and supporting staff are genuinely kind people who are self-selecting into an incredibly complex work — they want to do good, help, and make our city safe. This comes from the chief all the way down. [Garcia] understands the value of safe neighborhoods and positive relationships,” he said.
“My experience has been that these officers love our city and the people,” Rabbi Paley added. “I am not trying to whitewash any of the difficulties, but I believe that the department is really trying to be the source of pride in the city in keeping our community safe.”
“We have to do this together,” Rabbi Paley stressed. “Officers, community leaders, faith leaders, neighbors, individual citizens … we are all in this together. We each play a supporting role.”
When asked if the staffing shortage at DPD has been impacting officers’ mental health, Rabbi Paley said, “People are working harder and longer, so how could it not?”
DPD fields a police force of only around 3,000 officers despite a City report calling for 4,000, with average response times skyrocketing as a result, as previously covered by The Dallas Express. Showing support for initiatives that advance the mental health of DPD officers and recognizing their commitment and sacrifice could go a long way toward improving retention in Dallas.