NCJ Number
104122
Date Published
1986
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The Chicago Police Department's Traumatic Incident Program, which assists officers who have experienced work-related traumatic incidents, includes a supportive policy statement, a training program, cooperation from operations command, and a debriefing interview.
Abstract
The policy statement is a departmental directive indicating agency support for officers who have experienced traumatic incidents. The training program is for those in command at the scene of traumatic incidents, so as to ensure they can identify trauma. Cooperation from operations command involves the supervisory monitoring of each officer involved in a traumatic incident. The debriefing interview is a counseling session intended to guide officers in understanding traumatic experiences, so that related symptoms may be prevented. The officer is encouraged to recount the incident in detail. The counselor notes the officer's emotional expressions during the incident description to determine whether or not the officer has been seriously impacted by the incident. The counselor then inquires about any changes in the officer's habits, feelings, and behavior since the incident, being careful to be supportive and ensure the officer emotional disturbances are normal reactions in such incidents. The officer's acceptance and expression of the rage occasioned by the incident is particularly important. The officer's symptoms are monitored following the interview. 4 references.