Mental health training increases in law enforcement academy

Nov. 14--Law enforcement academy programs nationwide have increased the emphasis on mental health.

This month, cadets in the Regional Law Enforcement Academy at Missouri Western discussed how to handle people with mental health issues when they are on the job. The program has always included mental health-related training, but has increased time spent on the topic over the years.

About 2 million jail bookings each year involve a person with mental illness, according to a Vera Institute of Justice 2015 report. The National Alliance on Mental Health's analysis shows in many cases law enforcement agencies have become de facto first responders to individuals having a mental health crisis.

Kip Wilson, interim director for the Regional Law Enforcement Academy at Missouri Western, said law enforcement academies across the country also have added training specific to the mental health of officers.

"In the area of mental health, in the past there has been some emphasis in the academies placed on dealing with people with mental health issues," Wilson said. "Today, the training still deals with that. However, it's been expanded a little bit to also deal with the training for officers' own mental health issues."

Cadets in the law enforcement academy at Missouri Western learn how to take care of their minds and bodies. The academy includes regular physical training and classes that focus on an officer's fitness, health and nutrition.

The future officers also go through stress courses, during which they are asked to complete a practical that resembles situations they may encounter as an officer. Several items or sounds are present in their environment during the course to serve as distractions. Cadets must complete their tasks in stressful situations with distractions surrounding them.

Wilson said the program in part aims to prepare cadets to handle stress while on the job.

"The nature of police work can put a lot of pressure on police officers and their families and their environment in general," Wilson said. "And because of that, the officers need to be able to better recognize signs where maybe stress is interfering with their lives and how to cope with that stress in a productive way."

Cadets also learn about successful de-escalation techniques multiple times during the program.

Officers use de-escalation techniques during different types of circumstances or incidents, including when officers are interacting with individuals suffering a mental health crisis, according to the FBI's website.

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