Police officers in the United States are approximately twice as more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD and depression, according to the National Institutes of Health. Many attribute this to the high-stress of the job, and the frequency of being present or directly involved in traumatic events.
Referred to as "critical incidents," under New York state policies, those include more than officer-involved shootings. Things such as fatal car accidents, mass casualty tragedies and high-speed pursuits. Right now, most New York State Troopers are not automatically offered leave to seek counseling or respite for those incidents. When they are — it's usually just three days.
"For many troopers, the involvement in a critical incident is the start of a deeply personal and difficult journey," said Charles Murphy, president of the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association. "Even though troopers are trained to manage dangerous situations too often, they're expected to return to duty almost immediately after experiencing traumatic incidents that result in death, regardless of the extreme after effects they're experiencing."
A bill to widen those policies for state troopers was introduced by Buffalo-area Assemblyman Pat Burke, and passed with bipartisan support in the state legislature. However, the bill has yet to be signed by Governor Kathy Hochul. Burke said its been difficult to recruit and retain law enforcement officers, and added benefits for mental health could be part of solving that issue.
"These are public employees who deserve to go home safe to their families, and we need to recognize the challenges that come with a job like this," said Burke. "So when a critical incident happens, we need to care for them. Because we're not just caring for them in their mental health — we're caring for their families and we're caring for our whole community."
If signed into law, Burke's bill would allow troopers directly involved in a critical incident eligible for 20 days of paid leave. Those indirectly involved would be eligible for 15 days.
The leave would be voluntary, but union leaders say an improvement over current policy not just in length, but in process. Currently, troopers need to appeal to the state police superintendent to be granted a 72-hour leave.
