Relationships are everything. This axiom of business is well known, but there may not be another field outside of policing and public safety where it matters more. The emphasis on trust is critically important in professions where people risk their own lives and rely on colleagues to back them up in dangerous situations.
Counting on one’s brothers and sisters in police work, while essential, creates an unintended consequence—outsiders are viewed with skepticism. This leads to a barrier between police and public safety personnel and the professionals who work with them. Psychologists are one example of professionals who start off as outsiders and need to work hard and relentlessly to earn and keep the trust of law enforcement.
Psychologists work with police and public safety agencies, but several factors can inhibit good relationships between them. For example, psychologists are often perceived as an adversary by law enforcement, which has been discussed as contributing to the stigma around police seeking mental health treatment and the persistent problem of mental health challenges and suicide among police and public safety personnel. Additionally, as politics often impact attitudes about law enforcement and perceptions of support of law enforcement, psychologists must be mindful of how their political beliefs, stances, and statements may be perceived as reinforcing negative assumptions or attitudes about the profession. Thus, it is vitally important for psychologists who serve law enforcement to maintain awareness of these issues, demonstrate clear support for those they serve, and avoid behaviors that could create misperceptions about their freedom from bias. While there are instances where individual psychologists overcome these issues with police and public safety personnel, a systematic approach would help address this issue in a more comprehensive way.
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