FOR64340 - Providing Psychological Support Services to Law Enforcement Personnel

(3 units)

This course will provide an overview of the intervention domain of police psychology. Topics will include the difference between ‘in-house’ and ‘out-of-house’ or contract psychological services; the stressors unique to first responders and law enforcement personnel and the cultures in which they work; the unique ethical considerations which must be considered when providing psychological services to law enforcement personnel including voluntary vs. mandatory counseling, confidentiality, and safety concerns; the critical incidents that law enforcement personnel encounter including officer involved shootings, mass casualty incidents, public mistrust, homicides, undercover work, child abuse, etc.; an understanding of critical incident stress debriefings and defusings, early intervention strategies, and whether they should be recommended or mandatory; an understanding of multiple intervention/counseling techniques including individual therapy, couples counseling, family therapy and group interventions. The course explore the value of adjunctive services such as those provided by chaplains, peer counseling programs, employee assistance programs for the treatment of substance use/abuse and early prevention programs.