Leanna Lehman
Many Americans don't have to imagine this; they are law enforcement officers, EMTs, firefighters, or others serving in high-risk, high-intensity jobs. However, unlike in countries like Australia, where first-year cops get an average of nine weeks of paid leave, U.S. law enforcement officers usually get two weeks of vacation. That is, if their department is not so understaffed that they cannot take their accrued time off.
In a Nov. 4 presentation at the Fallon Convention Center to regional law enforcement officers and first responders, Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, a 20-year law enforcement veteran and behavioral scientist specializing in public safety, discussed two devastating shooting incidents in which officers inadvertently drew their firearms instead of their intended Tasers. While examples like these are extremely rare, they have forced departments to examine things like officer safety in relation to multiple shifts, physical and emotional fatigue, and the overall health and well-being of their officers.
Dr. Gilmartin's intention was not to draw attention to worst-case scenarios, but to address compromised officer safety. In his book "Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families," Gilmartin addresses critical issues facing modern American cops. A large portion of the training focused on "hypervigilance," the heightened alert state required on duty in policing, which, over time, carries off-duty consequences. This state, says Gilmartin, can lead to poor sleep, lack of interest in former hobbies or recreation, and a "when I retire" mentality.
Gilmartin also discussed the "Biological Rollercoaster" for law enforcement professionals, which explains the "on duty" high sympathetic nervous system arousal followed by a drop into "off duty" parasympathetic low arousal, which can lead to emotional fatigue, detachment, or cynicism. He urges officers to build or maintain interests outside of their jobs, which could mean the difference between enjoying life, entering a rewarding retirement, and staving off preventable life-threatening illnesses that cut too many good cops' lives short. Dr. Gilmartin tells officers not to wait. Do the good stuff now!
The training was organized by POOL/PACT, the state's risk-management group that provides human resources, law enforcement safety, health, wellness, and more to state and local agencies. Chief Financial Officer for POOL/PACT, Alan Kalt, said Dr. Gilmartin's "Emotional Survival" training is a standard for law enforcement training nationwide. It is part of the Fit for Retirement program offered to public safety and first responders.
The training was requested by Churchill County Sheriff Richard Hickox and attended by over 30 law enforcement officers and first responders from the Fallon Police Department and sheriff's departments in Storey, Mineral, Lyon, Elko, and Eureka counties. "We were pleased to coordinate this as part of our four-month health and wellness metabolic reset program for law enforcement," said Kalt, who notes several spouses in attendance. "Emotional and mental health are very important and often overlooked elements to the overall physical well-being of law enforcement officers." Courtesy of POOL/PACT, every participant received Dr. Gilmartin's book to read and share with their family. Loved ones may also benefit from a better understanding of the mental and emotional stressors associated with law enforcement work.
Sheriff Hickox, a fierce advocate for the principles taught in "Emotional Survival," said Gilmartin's information is vital to peace officers and their families at any stage of their careers. "I was first introduced to his training shortly after I got hired in 1999," said Sheriff Hickox. "I purchased his book and read it. I am sorry to admit that I did not absorb as much of the wisdom contained in it as I should have, but I had the opportunity to re-read it several years later and absorbed more, viewing the information from a slightly different lens. This allowed me to absorb more of the knowledge."
Hickox went on to state that for his deputies and all law enforcement officers, "I believe it is one of the most important books a peace officer could read and share with his family. It contains insights, scientific explanations as well as words of experience that will help you and your significant other understand some of the changes you are going through and implement skills and strategies to cope and deal with them."
Many law enforcement officers became familiar with Dr. Gilmartin and "Emotional Survival" at the beginning of their careers and have long worked to apply his practical wisdom. However, like the sheriff, many officers find the information relevant in different ways the longer they work in law enforcement. "Dr. Gilmartin has been a reference for emotional survival for law enforcement throughout my entire 15-year career," said Lt. Mike Hardin with Churchill County Sheriff's Office. "He has been referenced by almost every mentor I have had. It was amazing to see his practices in person, and it provided a lot more gravity to his ideals."
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