By J. Brett Smith
Criminal District Attorney in Grayson County
Maintaining the health of our prosecution staff should be a top priority. Every prosecutor, investigator, legal assistant, and victim advocate is exposed to significant emotional stress on a routine basis. This emotional stress comes from the nature of our work, whether it is reviewing graphic crime scene photographs, sifting through child sexual exploitation material, interviewing victims of sexual or physical abuse, or meeting with family members whose loved one has been the victim of a violent crime. All these activities can create stress. Now add the pressures associated with conducting jury trials, managing jail populations, and attempting to control the burgeoning dockets in court in a system which, by its own nature, is highly adversarial.
As we all know, stress can be detrimental to our emotional well-being and can directly impact our physical health. Loss of sleep, high blood pressure, irritability, heart disease, fatigue, and a weakened immune system are just a few things that come to mind. It is well documented that stress can also reduce serotonin levels. Depletion of serotonin is known to cause mild depression, low energy, negative thought patterns, feelings of tension, sugar cravings, and reduced interest in sexual activity. Another effect of stress, which is less commonly known, is adrenal fatigue. This is believed to be brought about by long term exposure to stress, resulting in low cortisol levels which have many of the same symptoms mentioned above. Issues such as divorce, suicide, addiction, and depression plague high-stress occupations.
In recent meetings with a few friends who work in law enforcement, they told me that after years of working both in patrol and as investigators, they were “throwing in the towel” because of burn-out. I expressed my empathy, and I left those discussions evaluating my own experience. I have spent 20 years in prosecution, with 15 years as a front-line prosecutor, and I have spent a career dealing with violent crime. Now I am an elected DA who still stays active in the courtroom, and the stress of the job has by no means receded. I began to think that if my friends were feeling the effect of their jobs, what was happening to me and my fellow employees? So I set out on a journey.
I began to research wellness programs for law enforcement. It just so happens I have a few friends with significant experience in this area. One is Inspector Dustin Williams, a Deputy United States Marshal who is also a team leader in the Peer Support Program at the Marshal Service. The other friend is Captain Marty Hall at the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office; he is the Peer Support Coordinator for his office. Both men are always available to lend me their ear, provide moral support, and just be there for me if needed. Through these two friends, I learned about the book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement by Kevin M. Gilmartin, Ph.D. After reading the book, I have made it a point to pass it on to other law enforcement professionals who needed to read it.
I was also directed to a group called F1RST (more info at www.f1rst.org). F1RST stands for First Responder Stress & Trauma, and it is a comprehensive wellness program that addresses the impact of repeated stress exposure to first responders. The company has a multi-disciplinary team of mental health providers, therapists, and specialists, and most of the therapists have past experience in law enforcement or have worked in trauma-related healthcare—folks who have “been there and done that.” My first therapy session was with a retired Chicago police officer, and I found the experience very beneficial. After I talked for a while as he listened, my therapist pointed out that while my daily workout routine was a great stress reduction tool, it was causing an adrenal dump—a surge of adrenaline in my bloodstream. When I later returned to work for a trial, contested hearings, stressful events, time crunches, and deadlines, those events were also causing an adrenal dump. The emphasis was drilled home: my need for recovery and rest. In addition to the good talk, my therapist got me started on some supplements to help support my immune system and combat adrenal fatigue.
Our next step was to bring everyone together within our office and explain my experiences and outline the services available. We informed our staff that our health insurance would cover the cost of services. We encouraged them, if they desired, to investigate the services available through F1RST. We authorized them to take time, while at work, to shut their door and engage in a Zoom hearing or use sick leave for an in-person consult. Our goal is to keep employees healthy and happy, thereby avoiding burnout and perhaps increasing retention.
At the end of the day, it is always good to talk with your spouse, friends, family, significant other, spiritual leader, or even God about the stress of your work. However, they may not always be able to relate or provide good solutions to an issue or a problem. Oftentimes we just need someone to talk with about the stress associated with our profession and someone who can relate to what we deal with on a daily basis. It is OK to say that we need help and that we may not always be able to navigate through a stressful occupation without seeking the advice of a professional.
To that end, find a law enforcement-related peer support program and utilize those resources. Locate a group such as F1RST in your region. Make these resources available to you and your staff. Gather staff and encourage them to “dump the bucket.” Give them the time and resources to place themselves first in a career that demands we put the needs of others before ourselves. We are only as strong as our weakest link.