Table 4.

Recommendations for Police Organizations.

1. Provide education to all members and their families on services and entitlements. This should occur prior to a member experiencing a crisis and continue periodically throughout a member’s career. Suggestions include commencing at depot, at first posting, ongoing at block training and related courses.

2. Clearly post information on services and service providers in all detachments and/or units so members are able to access information quickly and with little effort.

3. Develop information packages for recruits and following transfers to new detachments and units. Include all policy related to psychological wellness, resources specific to the geographical area, and self-care information, including links to websites.

4. Supply a copy of a regularly updated psychological provider list to all members, with a notation that members are not strictly confined to the service provider list.

5. Provide exposure and training to psychologists on the nature and demands of police work and the police culture.

6. Educate members about the psychological services available to them (how can it assist them, what to expect when they make contact, and issues related to confidentiality).

7. Ensure individuals providing in-house support (peer to peer) are carefully selected, highly trained and solely or primarily dedicated to these duties.

8. Update information websites to ensure medical and psychological resources are readily accessible.

9. Develop effective messaging and communication regarding services available, particularly during times when major incidents have occurred or were noted. Establish a process so that members who are off duty as a result of a psychological or physical injury or are involved in an internal or public complaint are proactively reminded of resources available to them.

10. Supervisors: Ensure training is provided to supervisors on the impact of police work (primary and secondary trauma, impact of cumulative exposure, and organizational stress), symptoms to look for in their subordinates, the importance of promoting mental health and psychological care as a necessary aspect of the job. Ensure supervisors are knowledgeable about all policy related to psychological health and wellness. Develop a system to ensure supervisors are accountable to policy, particularly regarding implementation of trauma interventions and mandatory annual assessments.

11. Implement mandatory psychological “check ins” (i.e., safeguard program) for all members and employees working for police organizations.

Note: Since the interviews were conducted, the RCMP implemented Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training nationally. Originally developed by the Department of National Defense, the program focuses on providing information and education related to mental health, reducing stigma and accessing care [11,12,16].