What is so disheartening about the way law enforcement is so far behind the curve compared to other professions is the way they handle such issues as mental illness and substance abuse.
As for substance abuse, I can absolutely see the potential for abuse of the badge and potential for of all of the associated crimes we see with addicts in the general population, but there should be treatment for those that get addicted from reasons such as getting injured on the job. But most departments would want to cleanse their hands of such a risky employee.
I guess it’s the same for other forms of mental illness. Police departments are terrified that an officer with depression may go haywire and go postal some day. And most police officers that suffer from depression are terrified that their jobs would be at risk for seeking treatment. I know i resisted therapy for many years because of this. I was only put on my first depression medication(cymbalta) because it had been shown to have some therapeutic value for back pain. My doctor tried for two years to get me to try it before I finally relented(no, I didn’t doubt his knowledge but I was afraid my department would somehow find out I was on depression meds), but when i agreed to try it, it was mostly because of the depression. When I broke down and told him that is why I was willing to try it, he said he couldn’t believe that It had taken me so long to become so depressed with all of my back pain. It was another year before I sought therapy, and probably another year before I told my chief, but only because I had been missing so much work. This was after two miscarriages and the death of my dog that sent me spiraling into a dark place(not suicidal-never that, but so depressed i could not function). But i could see it on his face that he thought I was a liability and I think he thought I was weak because I was tearing up in his office. This put a serious strain on our relationship, which got better when I became I lieutenant and got a renewed vigor for the job and was pretty damn good at it(I inherited the highest crime area and turned it around), but have had several bad patches since then and he hates me, and has basically told me so. In fact, just twelve hours ago, I asked if he had a second to discuss which of my sergeants I wanted to act in my absence(I have been on light duty due to a work injury and have surgery in 8 hours). He answered that he did not have a second, but I insisted. He was so clearly annoyed, but I really am fresh out of fucks to give. As I walked out of his office after a brief discussion, he said “good luck” with a smirk on his face. Just because I know he wants to be rid of me so bad, i actually may stick out my remaining 3.5 years.
Because of my depression and missing because of back pain, I am seen as a pain in the ass and a liability, and I am sure that any other officer that admitted to having depression would be viewed by him the same way.
