Police Brutality & Mental illness

It is important to understand the role of psychology professionals and how essential they are in social change. Psychologist are critical in social justice in the mishandling of mental health citizens within the community at the hands of police officers. According to (American Psychological Association, 2021), psychologists explain the longevity in the role psychologists have to partake in when it comes to not just policing. For example, (American Psychological Association, 2021) states that psychologists contribute to assessing officers and their mental health, interpretative resolutions in reducing biased and aggressive policing, and offering to counsel for officers who have traumatic witness incidences. Psychology has played a vital role in displaying and promoting social justice issues that improve one’s well-being and lives with society.

(American Psychological Association, 2018) explains the importance of police handling citizens with mental health; it is crucial for police officers to manage their mental health. (Walden University, 2021), explains the priority that police officers should exude as their mental health is often affected due to PTSD, depression, and anxiety that occurs both on and off the job. Law enforcement often does not seek mental health care. It should be required as mental health professionals can assist with any grievances and contributing factors from everyday life. A psychologist can help with their experience, expertise, training, and guidance and make fundamental changes to someone with mental health illnesses they encounter on the line of duty. Therefore it should be enforced and required for law enforcement to get an adequate education and training. It should not just apply to the initial evaluation before hiring. Still, proper training and being a requirement to seek a mental health care professional due to the severity of what the job brings can be traumatizing and dehumanize themself in how they perform in the work field. This is where the role of psychologists is involved because they can evaluate and counsel the functions of prevention within excessive forced use but are needed more so in the behaviors of police officers. 

There seems to be this mindset or stigma around police officers that can not do any wrong simply because they are in a badge and uniform. However, this is a cause of concern because society and communities protect police officers because of their job title and can not see past that. Police officers are backed by the white community,  law enforcement and higher-ups, even if they are guilty of shooting and killing innocent victims. This presents a gap and disconnect within the police and community, especially the black community. It presents a trust issue as they do not feel protected and believe, based on their encounter and experiences, they won’t be of help. Having to constantly worry about being killed and murdered, simply because of the color of your skin that God gave us and is justified, says we STILL have lots of work to do to make real change.

Citizens within society and the community that are diagnosed and undiagnosed with a mental illness/disorder are often mishandled by police officers, leading to death, which is a tremendous significant concern that requires social change. There has to be changed within the realms of police officers; the first course of action should not be to kill citizens. Some officers are said to have a roster of 1000+ in shooting mental health individuals within our community, which is very alarming. Officers have a job to do and protocols to follow and it should not be hindered based on their own personal bias and feelings, no matter who they encounter with on the job. Often police officers are equipped and trained to protect "public safety," and a big emphasis on public safety as history has shown that isn't always the case. Therefore, the law enforcement's training and course of action seem to be designed to "protect" if the situation or person is deemed harmful and dangerous. 

According to (Thomas et al., 2021), the study conducted resulted in police being more likely  to shoot and kill unarmed black men who display signs of mental illness as opposed to white men who share similarities in the behavior. With this taken into consideration, black men have a target on their back simply by the color of their skin. When you rope in their mental illness that goes undiagnosed and untreated, they are at higher risk of mental health mishandling by police officers. 

For decades and centuries, minorities have experiences social and racial injustice, and sadly the black community are the most subjected to have been killed by the hands of police officers. When you factor in mental health and illness within the black community and police officers, the experience is twice as discriminated by the racism and abuse of police officers. (Katz, 2003) explains that racism happens within our backyards in how we are raised, what to believe, the community, environment, and neighborhood. These factors all contribute to our mindset, behavior, and thinking about how we treat others. No one is born a racist, and it is taught; therefore, historical biases and oppression always point to the black community from an educational, economic, social, and financial standpoint. It is just as bad that mental health citizens and patients do have history being abused by police as opposed to any other person. 

This forum allows healthy, helpful, and necessary discussions to communicate and educate one another based on facts, experience, history, and current events at the hand of law enforcement within black communities and mental health illnesses and disorders. You can never stop learning, no matter what age you are. Keeping an open mind to change and unlearning what you may think is the right way and relearning healthy habits and humanitarian patterns without bias are necessary to make positive social change personally, as a community, and in society. The tim is always now to make a difference in your community, society, and the world. Human rights are human rights, and no one has the power or authority to take that away from you. 

Reference

American Psychological Association. (2021). Building Mental Health into emergency responses. Monitor on Psychology.

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). How can psychology advance police-community \relations? using psychological science and advocacy to contribute to solutions. American Psychological Association.

Walden University. (2021, September 17). 5 reasons the mental health of police officers needs to be a priority. Walden University. Retrieved from https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/criminal-justice/resource/five-reasons-the-mental-health-of-police-officers-needs-to-be-a-priority

Katz, P. A. (2003). Racists or Tolerant Multiculturalists? How Do They Begin? American Psychologist, Vol 58(11), 897-909. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases