The topic of officer mental health is, without question, receiving more attention than ever before in policing. This attention to such a critical issue is overdue and well deserved. Still, despite the constant discourse, it can be difficult for police leaders to know where to start when it comes to building or providing true wellness support for their officers and staff. Initiatives, programs, and products are springing up in agencies across the globe to address this dire need, but are they really strong enough to change the generations of policing culture that has contributed to the problem? Are these efforts enough to finally influence and guide police professionals to sustainable mental health? Do these solutions truly provide the support needed to keep officers from turning to the unhealthy coping techniques they’ve resorted to in the past?

In the fall of 2021, the Dallas, Texas, Police Department (DPD) tackled these questions after the command staff held multiple disciplinary hearings that led to officer terminations for misconduct and alcohol-related issues.

As a result, DPD began reviewing all its available alcohol and mental health support resources to determine if they were being utilized and what the overall state of wellness was in the department.