What will you do when the unthinkable happens? Are you prepared? Day in and day out, we go to work and then we come home. Some days go by smooth while other days are a constant struggle just to make it home in one piece. When I refer to the unthinkable, I am referring to being injured in the line of duty. One can be injured physically or mentally from the traumatic events law enforcement officers face on a daily basis.
Injured in the line of duty, what does that mean to you? My nightmare with physical injuries began assisting another deputy that was in foot pursuit. This was in broad daylight in a parking lot. I exited my car in front of the foot chase to assist. After making contact with the suspect, I turned to chase and found myself on the ground and getting back up. I was unaware that another deputy plowed into me with her patrol car, knocking me up on the hood, onto the ground and briefly unconscious.
That was in 2002 when a peace officer could get appropriate medical treatment from workman’s compensation. I was treated for back, neck, rib injuries and eventually forced the issue to go back to the work I loved. The medical care I received was appropriate and great!
Advance to the modern workman’s compensation era in California. In 2005, I was involved in a high speed vehicle pursuit and in the end the suspect started ramming our cars, including the second car head on. I rammed the suspect’s car to stop his actions. A short struggle in the car ensued and I dragged the suspect from the car to the ground.
Almost immediately my back was hurting and the neck started hurting as the adrenalin wore off. Instead of receiving the medical attention I requested, I was forced to continue taking priority calls after processing the suspect. I was only allowed medical treatment after my shift was over. It later turned out I had an avulsion fracture in my neck and re injured my back.
What has changed since 2002 and now? In the Arnold Schwarzenegger era the adjusters call the shots. Having a lifetime medical stipulation is not worth much anymore. The adjusters deny all reasonable treatments and cause the injured extreme stress. Are you, the average law enforcement officer prepared to face this? Is your family prepared?
Many other stressors kick in during this kind of crisis. How will I take care of my family, will I be able to find work after retirement, will my retirement be approved, will the pain ever go away and many more issues face the injured. I know I became extremely depressed facing all of the above and sought help to deal with it. I pass this on because I know there are others out there facing the same crisis and need somebody to point them in the right direction.
There is often a stigma with being a peace officer and seeking mental help. Will others think I am crazy or unfit? What will happen if I do seek the help? Most departments have a peer support unit and some sort of mental health plan to assist officers in time of need. I served on our peer support unit for over a decade and knew what I needed to do. I sought out the treatment I needed to get through the ordeal and the PTSD I had developed from shootings and other critical incidents. I am better for it!
The modern recruit should be taught to be prepared for the physical and mental injuries just as they are taught to be prepared for the gun battle. Departments need to be educated and understand the truth about PTSD. More peace officers are medically retired then killed in the line of duty. Just read your retirement board’s monthly agenda and you will see the constant flow of medical retirements. The suicide rate for peace officers is tipple the rate of line of duty deaths. Shouldn’t that be telling us something? Why are we not listening? There needs to be more networking and more support for the injured. Departments need to be held accountable when the injured is discriminated upon because of their injury.
There are many websites available to read about these issues peace officers face. I know I sought out information on the internet and found the American Police Veteran website (http://www.policevets.net/). APV is a small, but growing network of disabled peace officers. I found many of my feelings and experiences were the same nation wide. In San Diego County, we worked with The Counseling Team and their group of professional counselors (http://www.thecounselingteam.com). If you are in need of help, please call them, your agencies employee assistance program or somebody that will point you in the right direction. Let yourself be better prepared. Do this for yourself, do this for your family and do this because it is the right thing to do.
Mike Bradburn is a Disabled Police Veteran. Mike recently retired IODD from San Diego County.
