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My inspiration for this article on officer wellness came the skies over Nazi-occupied Europe, where the Eighth Army Air Force’s bomber crews were pushed to — and beyond — the limits of human endurance. My first exposure to this compelling story was through the excellent Apple TV series, “Masters of the Air.” I then purchased the book of the same name, written by Donald L. Miller, and realized the series only scratched the surface. Buried within this book are numerous leadership lessons, many of which are beyond the scope of this article. My focus: how the leaders of the bomber groups utterly failed to fully understand the impact of the stress their crews were under — and how a similar disconnect can arise in law enforcement.
Up against the odds
First, let us review some sobering statistics about the Eighth Air Force in Europe. Based in England, the bomber group flew missions over occupied Europe and Germany from August 1942 through the end of the war in Europe in May 1945. During that time, of the approximately 210,000 flight crew members, 26,000 were killed and 28,000 captured. These numbers reflect the total throughout the war and consisted of more fatal casualties than those suffered by the entire United States Marine Corps. Circumstances were not the same for the entire period; as the war progressed through 1944 and 1945, survival rates improved.
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October 1943, however, reflected a dire situation for the bomber crews. Crews then had only a one-in-four chance of completing their required 25 combat missions (the requirement was subsequently increased to 30, then 35). Two-thirds of the men could expect to either die in combat or be captured. An additional 17% would be seriously wounded, suffer a disabling mental breakdown, or die in an air accident over England. Of the 100th Bomb Group, the focus of the Apple TV series, only 14% of the fliers assigned to the group upon arrival in England in 1943 made it to their 25th mission.
Despite these staggering losses, lack of replacement crews, and intense psychological trauma, leadership often expected crews to continue with their missions and believed that the “flying fatigue” the crews were suffering could be resolved by rest periods. Rest homes known as “Flak Farms” away from the front became a vital lifeline. While this worked to a degree for some, Air Force psychiatrists had a difficult time convincing bomb group commanders that other fliers were truly sick, suffering from “operational fatigue,” which required both rest and extensive psychiatric treatment.
Making the situation worse for some fliers was the way commanders would view those who broke down after only a few missions and who had suffered little or no battle damage, and those who had shown intestinal fortitude in combat and broke down late in their tour or after a traumatic experience. The former category was treated as cowards who suffered from character flaws. They were handled administratively and not medically; they were dishonorably discharged or reassigned under disgrace. The latter group were hidden from the doctors because their commanders did not want the men stigmatized by psychiatrists. The result? Many crew members hid their extreme anxiety from both their commanders and crewmates as they were afraid of being punished or humiliated. Instead, they wanted to complete their required combat missions as soon as possible. And for those that did complete them, it was only then that they requested medical treatment. As a result, it will never be known how many fliers suffered severe enough symptoms that would have led to their grounding.
The law enforcement parallel
One episode of “Masters of the Air” captures the essence of what I believe to be the historical law enforcement attitude that cops are “tough” and should be able to handle anything they experience.
The scene takes place in the base bar, which is where the crew members spent much of their downtime. Majors Egan and Cleven, based on real-life characters, are looking around the room, solemnly reflecting on the losses encountered by their group. Other crew members are around them at the bar. Egan says, “All these new faces. If we go down, they won’t remember us either. You never existed, bud.” Cleven responds, “What does it matter?” To which Egan states, “Nothin’, I guess.”
At this point, a colonel arrives, and everyone turns to face him: “My boys! Listen up. I just had a mood-killing conversation with Doc Stover. He thinks you sissies could be getting flack happy.”
There is a resounding chorus of denials: “No, no, not us, Sir!”
The colonel continues, “I told him war is war. The longer you go at it, the more it screws a man up. And it’s been that way since the first caveman son of a b**** picked up a club and went after the other. Did caveman go for head-shrinking?”
“No, no. I don’t know, Sir.”
“Damn sure not. What counts is that you soldiers show up ready and able to fight. What you do between battles…” The colonel pauses and gestures around the bar.
Egan smiles and replies, “I like your style Sir.” Cleven remains stoic and does not respond.
Another officer states, “Aerial combat like this hasn’t been around since the cavemen, Sir.”
“Of course not, Red. Every war has its novelty.”
While this is a fictional scene, it accurately reflects many commanders’ attitudes. As army psychiatrists advised such commanders, you can force a man with crippling anxiety to fly, but you cannot force him to fly effectively.
In my 41 years in law enforcement, I observed a similar attitude — that cops are “tough” and counseling is for the weak — over and over again. Although not universal, this attitude was typical for decades. Yes, we have historically given officers administrative time off after a shooting or other intense and typically short-lived traumatic events. The underlying assumption was probably that a little downtime would help the officer deal with what they went through. Some agencies also require officers to go to the hospital to “get checked out.” But as I will explore in the next section, these practices are often not helpful and sometimes downright harmful.
Fortunately, the tide is turning. Today, there is widespread cultural acceptance in the law enforcement community that the cumulative effect of the many different and unpleasant situations officers are exposed to may be causing “operational fatigue,” which, since the 1980s, is known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is why contemporary policies, such as Lexipol’s, provide the opportunity for counseling after critical incidents.
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Traumatic events and post-incident treatment of officers
The state of officer wellness in 2025 is more than just a “check the box” consideration or budget item; it is a public safety imperative. Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in officer wellness, but we still have a long way to go. First, let’s look at a couple of long-standing common practices after an officer-involved traumatic event.
Previously, I mentioned that for many agencies, it is routine to place an officer on administrative leave after a shooting or other officer-involved major event. Many times, a supervisor may send an officer “to get checked out” at a local hospital right after a potentially traumatic event, regardless of whether the officer is physically injured. Twice, I was ordered to go to a hospital after an event (major car accidents, not a shooting), even though I was fine due to my seatbelt and ballistic vest. My experience can be summed up as follows: Hospital staff are not thrilled when people come in with no symptoms or ailments, and you can plan on being there for a long time.
But the main point I want to bring out with either of these practices is the danger caused by the isolation of a person who has experienced a traumatic event. I was made aware of this issue by two different officers involved in different incidents years and hundreds of miles apart. Both officers fired their weapons in chaotic events where other officers were also present and at imminent risk from the actions of suspects. In one case, the officer was sent to the hospital even though he had no injuries. In the other, the officer was sent to the department and told to wait in a conference room. In both cases, the result was that the officers remained isolated for a prolonged period. Left alone to ruminate about the incident, the officers both came to the only possible rational conclusion as to why no one was with them: They must have shot and killed another officer. It was the only thing that made sense. One was curled up in the fetal position by the time a union representative came into the room and told him his partner was fine and was on his way home. Emotions and reactions like this are not just undone with the flick of a switch.
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What followed for the officer sent to the hospital was six months’ administrative leave while awaiting the district attorney’s decision on the case. It is not about the need for the leave; it was the fact that the isolation continued the whole time he was out, with no one keeping him apprised of what was happening. When it was all over and he was cleared of any wrongdoing, the department assumed he was ready to come back. This prolonged period of isolation was too much for him; he never went back to work as a police officer. He knew he could not work for that agency again after how he was treated.
I was fortunate to have long conversations with these two officers, who showed courage by being willing to discuss their experience. One of the officers went on to speak in classes about the issues. It was apparent that the way they were both initially isolated from their agencies in the aftermath was more traumatic to them than the actual incident.
The sad thing is, these are not isolated incidents. As I discussed these issues in my presentations over the years, I learned of other similar stories from officers around the country. And they, in turn, were aware of others. Unfortunately, in many cases, officers are afraid to admit what they are experiencing and return to work anyway, assuming they can just overcome their issues. Too often, however, this involves increased use of alcohol and strains on personal relationships.
I am not implying these practices are motivated by malice, or that supervisors who make such on-scene decisions are not well-intentioned. Instead, it is about a lack of awareness of the relevant issues, and this is what must change. Regardless of where an officer is sent after a critical incident; it is the isolation that can impact both the likelihood and the severity of PTSD. Yes, there are legitimate concerns about evidentiary privilege and the need to limit the officer involved from discussing the event under some circumstances. But properly trained and certified peer support members will be aware of these issues, as will any culturally competent clinician.
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Cumulative trauma and the mounting risk of PTSD
The Police1 “What Cops Want in 2025” survey results provide insights from over 1,200 officers from across the country. Although there may be significant deviations from one agency to another, there were some important findings.
While high-profile critical incidents often capture headlines, the seeds of post-traumatic stress in law enforcement are often sown quietly through the compounded exposure to danger, fear, and organizational neglect. What this year’s survey makes clear is that officers are facing more than just the physical threats of the job. They’re operating in conditions that, for many officers, are emotionally corrosive and psychologically unsustainable.
A frequent complaint was fatigue and sleep deprivation caused by inadequate staffing. Mandated overtime pushed them to perform without adequate recovery. The human brain needs rest to process stress and metabolize trauma. Without it, experiences of fear or violence may linger, often in fragmented, unprocessed ways that manifest later as anxiety, irritability, or detachment.
Another common refrain was the frequency of assaults, with 40% reporting being assaulted in the last year. But it’s not just the violence; it’s the chronic unpredictability of not knowing whether a routine call will erupt into chaos, or whether anyone will be close enough to help. The physiological response to that level of sustained hypervigilance can lead to elevated cortisol, sleep disruption, emotional numbness, and eventually, psychological trauma.
Officers reported that training was infrequent, inadequate, and often ineffective to prepare them for the reality they may face. Officers overwhelmingly want more scenario-based, realistic, and hands-on training.
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Officers also reported feeling unsupported by their leadership. This organizational betrayal deepens trauma and can evolve into moral injury when officers feel their efforts to do the right thing are ignored — or worse, punished. Officers are more likely to trust policies (and policymakers) when they believe their leaders understand the job. High-ranking leaders must recognize when their “credibility clock” has stopped ticking in some topics. This is not meant to be derogatory; it’s a common result of advancement through rank. But a successful leader will recognize this and rely on those who still have that knowledge before passing judgement.
U.S. Air Force psychiatrists knew that crew members would not speak with them if they did not understand what they were going through. As a result, many of them flew missions to gain this knowledge and credibility. Yes, law enforcement is different from flying bombers in wartime, but the impact of the underlying stressors is similar. Cops need access to clinicians who are culturally competent and understand cops. Leaders need to understand what is happening on the street, ensure that officers feel encouraged to ask for help, and provide some form of resource — preferably anonymous — for members to access. A strong and properly trained peer support network is also essential to help our officers be their best.
When officers are assaulted, publicly vilified, and then left to cope on their own without training, backup, or real support, it creates a perfect storm. They begin to internalize every close call, every unfair headline, every unanswered call for help. This is exacerbated by political rhetoric and media portrayals, which were also cited in the Police1 survey as significant sources of animosity. This can lead to a growing sense of helplessness — and that emotional accumulation can quietly fracture even the strongest mental armor.
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Wellness is the new readiness
Officers aren’t just enduring traumatic events; they’re enduring a system that too often fails to help them mitigate, process, or recover from them. And unless agencies take meaningful steps to reduce that burden — through leadership presence, consistent training, proper staffing, and a visible commitment to officer wellness — our ability to fulfill our mission will suffer. True operational readiness isn’t just about having the right equipment or tactics — it’s about ensuring officers are mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared to face the challenges of the job. Wellness is a core part of that preparation.
