this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2024
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Much as we like to joke about it, to me this hints at the bad state of the mental and emotional care system.
For cops in particular in this case, but of course the population at large, too. A person who is armed - and in the US that can be everybody 2 years or older basically - should not be left without help to get into a situation where they can be this delusional and on edge while carrying a gun. People need help. Medical help.
Mental health treatment, for both cops and soldiers, should be mandatory. If we are going to give them the power of life and death over another human being, they should have as much support as possible.
Personally, I think all police should be required to attend a mental health session at least once a month (even more, if they choose to). What happens in that session is entirely down to them. Hell, set up some games consoles, a TV and a small library. If they want to turn up and just read a book for an hour, that's fine! However, they should be required to be in the room, with a trained professional.
This would go a long way towards helping them. They can vent off, get some constructive tips, chill out, or fully engage. All would help. It also helps nip things like PTSD in the bud. Shooting a teen, because they drew a gun on you, and watching them die, is still watching a teen die by your hand.
In a perfect world, it would be a good exit path for retiring officers. Train them up, and they also know what it's like to be in their shoes.
I know someone who works in emergency services who said that people in those professions are actually afraid of seeking any type of mental health support because if their employers were to find out, they could be put on administrative duties, unpaid leave, or outright fired for being mentally unfit. The problem is systemic.
That's why it has to be required for everyone - if everyone gets therapy, then the ones who actually need it can't be singled out.