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Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 3:383-396 (2003)
© 2003 Oxford University Press

The Police Officer and the Public Inquiry: A Qualitative Inquiry into the Aftermath of Workplace Trauma

   Cheryl Regehr, PhD
   Deane Johanis
   Gina Dimitropoulos, MSW
   Charles Bartram, BA
   Gregory Hope

From the Faculty of Social Work (Regehr, Dimitropoulos) and Faculty of Law (Regehr) at the University of Toronto, the Centre for Applied Social Research at the University of Toronto (Regehr), the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (Johanis), and the Peel Regional Police (Bartram, Hope).

Contact author: Cheryl Regehr, PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work and Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A1. cheryl.regehr{at}utoronto.ca.

This study aimed to assess the experiences of police officers facing a public inquiry following a traumatic work-related event. Interviews of 11 officers were analyzed for qualitative themes. Quantitative measures of social support and current level of distress were compared with a sample of paramedics and firefighters matched for traumatic experiences and involvement in postmortem reviews. In response to the events leading to the inquiry, reactions consistent with posttraumatic stress were common. Review processes were typically prolonged. Common negative consequences included lack of professional advancement, strained family relations, and inaccurate and sensationalized media attention. An important mediating factor was the quality of organizational support. Following the inquiry, police officers rarely felt a sense of vindication and frequently reported a diminished sense of commitment to their work. In conclusion, review processes following work-related trauma have many negative consequences for police officers. Suggestions for intervention include crisis intervention services with officers, organizational development, and the enhancement of peer support programs.

KEY WORDS: police, critical incident, public inquiry, posttraumatic stress, media






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