NCJ Number
130723
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 39 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1991) Pages: 97-99
Date Published
1991
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The work of the Drug Enforcement Administrations' (DEA) Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Trauma Team (TT) is described regarding the prevention of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in law enforcement personnel.
Abstract
The TT is composed of an EAP program manager, three to seven TT members, and two to four divisional area clinicians. Members of the TT complete a 64-hour course in human responses covering non-clinical supportive interventions in kidnapings, shootings, suicide, and other threats of violence. The program was developed in 1980 following a study of the principal stressors that affect law enforcement conducted by Yvonne Conner, called the Incidence and Prevalence Study. Important elements of the program are the use of officers to provide psychological assistance to fellow officers and mandatory clinical briefings following a shooting. TT candidates are selected through a democratic process after submitting a request to the divisional headquarters. A typical candidate, with 3 to 15 years of experience, participates in an 84-hour training program. The first phase consists of a 40-hour sensitivity training, and the second phases covers detection of early warning signs of PTSD and dealing with the family members or agent. Since 1986 the incidence of the need for TT intervention has tripled.