Re-thinking the critical incident response (CIR) for police officers involved in ambush situations

Abstract

Over the past decade, the role and expectations of police officers has undergone significant transformation. Challenges such as social media, societal pressures, officer fatigue, and increasingly sophisticated and lethal criminal activities have made the job more difficult. Specifically, police ambushes and targeted attacks have created a divide between officers and the communities they serve, often resulting in moral injury and mental health issues for officers. From a leadership perspective, ambushes have caused emotional distress, a situation that is becoming more frequent in Canada. The progression in crisis support practices has been slow, with many services still using Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, a program with questionable effectiveness and safety. An alternative strategy involves peer teams that are trained in clinical intervention techniques and have access to an external clinical psychology team. This setup offers peer team members the necessary support and guidance when assisting colleagues in distress. This trauma-informed approach, which considers the needs of individual officers while delivering quick and effective intervention, can reduce the impact of critical incidents on officer mental health.