September 03, 2025
When a Michigan first responder was asked nearly 16 years ago about how he processed witnessing the death of a child who died by smoke inhalation, his response was characteristic of many public servants who experience trauma and stress as a routine part of their jobs.
“‘I drink,’” he told psychologist Tracie Webb, director of the Michigan State Police (MSP) Office of Behavioral Science. “And I knew that wasn’t working; neither was that sustainable for him,” she recalled of the conversation that occurred before she joined the MSP.
When asked whether he would seek treatment, if available, his response left her even more jarred.
“He said, ‘No, I would not want people to think I was weak or that I could not handle the job,’” she recounted of his reply. “And I told him that seeking help related to mental health does not imply weakness; rather, it indicates an area where additional support is necessary.”
Despite observing an upward trend in first responders seeking psychological, emotional, physical and financial wellness over the span of nearly 18 years as a mental health provider, Webb said efforts to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health treatment remain a challenge for police agencies nationwide.
In response, the MSP is bolstering initiatives to prioritize mental health by allocating resources for education and offering services such as counseling and therapy to address issues like depression and anxiety, thereby aiming to reduce instances of substance abuse and suicides among law enforcement personnel. Through Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Men's Mental Health Awareness Month in June, National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in July and Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September, the department actively participates in observances alongside community groups to promote well-being and mental health.
In the line of duty, officers often confront the threatening dangers of shootouts and ambushes, some daily, Webb said. Among these looming threats is the risk of suicide, she added.
Findings compiled in a March 2024 report by Massachusetts-based nonprofit First H.E.L.P. showed about 184 public safety officers died by suicide on average each year between 2016-22, with little variation, the report said. That number increased to 234 reported suicide deaths in 2019, according to the group.
“Officers have access to lethal means on their hips every day, all day,” Webb said, highlighting the stark contrast with individuals who do not have such access. "Therefore, the decision to act can be executed very swiftly.”
For Webb, intercepting this resolve is emphasized when the OBS begins providing services to trooper recruits at the onset of the application process to become troopers. Psychological assessments that ascertain candidates' suitability, along with comprehensive presentations outlining the profession’s demands and the department’s holistic support systems, are crucial for enforcement personnel, she said.
But support through the OBS, according to Webb, isn’t limited to the enforcement members of the MSP, as the office provides services to all department members. That includes civilians who work with narcotics task forces, records sections, communications, in the Computer Crimes Unit, in dispatch centers and across the department’s seven Forensic Science Laboratories.
D/F/Lt. Gary Daniels enlisted in the 111th Trooper Recruit School in 1995 and has served as the director of the Lansing Forensic Science Laboratory since 2011, where he manages technical and operational forensic services and Crime Scene Response Teams. He said that raising his then-young children earlier in his career presented challenges, compounded by an inability to separate his work experiences from his home life to prevent those experiences from shaping and influencing his presence at home.
CSRTs are available around the clock, year-round to document, process and collect evidence at crime scene locations across Michigan, which could lead to deployment and potential absence from relatives at any given moment—a reality Daniels’ family experienced.
“They were aware that I was involved in crime scene investigations, but they lacked detailed knowledge of my specific activities or what I saw at such scenes,” he said. As they matured, "they began to develop opinions and recognize facets of me that I was unaware they were attuned to,” he added.
“Any time we went anywhere, we knew you were there, but you weren’t really there; we knew you were stressed, even though we didn’t know what about,” he said, reflecting on what his children had once told him.
Daniels said through self-awareness, he learned the importance of developing balance strategies without spillover effects.
“My mental health was just as important as my physical health,” he said. “And I have to be aware to know what I don’t know; where to look to develop that knowledge, and who to talk with to help me process what’s missing because changes in your feelings are being prompted by something, and you owe it to yourself to seek help from a professional.”
Housed in the MSP Professional Development Bureau, which oversees training and professional development for all department members, the Wellness and Resiliency Section complements the work of the OBS by promoting the mental and physical health of members through strategies for stress management, burnout prevention, fitness, financial well-being and fostering positive social interactions, according to Jennifer Dillon, the section’s manager.
Central to the section’s mission is equipping members to deliver the best services to the public and, subsequently, to their families through programs that proactively address trauma and help members find purpose and meaning, Dillon said.
“In this police culture, we tend to bottle things up, and historically, the stigma has conveyed a clear message that it’s not OK to talk about a struggle, but the conversations are changing, and it’s becoming normalized to say, ‘I’m not OK.’”
And the conversation doesn’t end there, Dillon said. “Let’s not stay there; let’s get some help.”
In late July, the section piloted two new programs: A family readiness support program for the families of trooper recruits, as well as a family readiness retreat for department members and a relative of their choice. Each program provided members with tools and common language to support them in communicating with their relatives.
During their 20-week tenure at the Training Academy, trooper recruits participate in wellness training as part of their curriculum. In tandem, their relatives are permitted to log in online twice monthly to access virtual classes that correspond to the training received by the recruits, Dillon said.
“The goal is to help everyone support each other through recruit school, which is a difficult time for families and recruits alike.”
Meanwhile, community groups like Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, the largest of Michigan’s regional behavioral and mental health networks, spread awareness about the importance of mental health and work to support mental illnesses, children with emotional disturbance, people with autism, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those with substance use disorders across the state’s largest county.
The leader of the mental health network described the intense challenges police officers face daily as “the equivalent of being at war,” emphasizing a heightened need for first responders to have access to mental health treatment across the U.S.
“Everyone deals with that type of trauma differently, whether it’s a (vehicular crash), an injury to a child, domestic violence or homicides and, on top of that, the loss of a fellow officer…day in and day out—it takes a toll on an officer personally and on their families,” said James E. White, president and CEO of DWIHN and Detroit's 43rd police chief.
White, a licensed mental health therapist, began his career with Detroit police in 1996, advancing to the position of assistant chief from 2012-20, when he left to lead the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. He returned to the police department and was named interim chief in 2021 and served as the department’s head through November 2024.
On a recent weekday, he recalled facilitating a training course as police chief during which he polled more than 50 officers about a common nightmare.
“‘How many of you dreamed about being in a firefight, and your service weapon didn’t work?’” he asked his officers. Nearly every officer raised their hands, he said.
“Imagine how the brain is processing stress as an officer while you’re sleeping; years and years of that type of interaction can take a significant toll,” White said.
The former police chief said that policing and engaging those with mental health crises as care providers share similar tenets: Stabilizing the scene and providing service to those who require it quickly. But the latter, White said, hasn’t often been available for first responders.
According to a June 2022 study published in the multidisciplinary journal Frontiers in Health Services, first responders are at high risk for disorders that stem from repeated exposures to stress and trauma, which result in PTSD, depression and “problematic alcohol use.” Some barriers that prevent first responders from accessing treatments include lack of knowledge, stigma, negative experience with mental health providers and time-based burdens, the report said.
A separate February 2024 report revealed that police personnel have approximately twice the prevalence of PTSD and depression compared to the general population.
“What police officers have to be careful of is masking those emotions so much that we become a wall, that we don’t have the natural engagements in moments,” White said. “You don’t want officers being machines and robots; you want them to feel and be real and encourage them to express their emotions.”
White noted that while his group has traditionally focused on community mental health, they have recently rolled out and are expanding programs to address officers’ needs, having already trained about 700 officers in mental health co-response and mental health first aid to better support the community.
Among those resources is the 313-488-HOPE hotline, where callers can receive up to 12 free, anonymous and confidential sessions for anyone who has “lived, worked, or played” in Wayne County, White said.
For members of the MSP, critical incident stress debriefings, ongoing therapy sessions and extended leaves are key mechanisms of providing care to members, Webb said.
"Our team is dedicated to supporting our department members with empathy and excellence on a regular basis, aiming to enhance their mental health with programs specific to what they do, so we can address their most pressing needs."
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