Read the Officer Safety and Wellness Group Brief on Promoting Positive Coping Strategies in Law Enforcement

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services—with support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance—released the brief “Officer Safety and Wellness (OSW) Group Meeting Summary: Promoting Positive Coping Strategies in Law Enforcement—Emerging Issues and Recommendations.”

The OSW Group was formed in 2011 to bring together law enforcement practitioners, researchers, and subject matter experts dedicated to improving officer safety and wellness. They met in July 2019 to identify why law enforcement officers may turn to negative coping strategies—such as alcoholism, substance abuse, and other antisocial behaviors—to handle mental and emotional stress and discussed ways to promote positive coping mechanisms. This brief outlines some of their solutions, such as recommending that law enforcement agencies implement wellness-related trainings and mandatory mental health checks to encourage officers’ emotional health and organizational wellness.

To learn more, read the "Promoting Positive Coping Strategies in Law Enforcement" brief.