How Law Enforcement Can Use Tech to Improve Mental Health

Those in law enforcement are often at higher risk for stress-related mental health concerns. The stressors of repeated exposure to trauma, high-stakes decision-making, long hours, on-duty injuries, and unpredictable schedules compound over time, placing officers at higher risk of depression and other mental health concerns.

According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide, the long-term and consistent exposure to trauma and extreme events can desensitize officers and contribute to their inability to cope with the stress effectively. The stress overload can feel overwhelming and add to an officer’s mental strain. That strain can result in post-traumatic stress symptoms, misuse of substances, depression, altered behavior, and suicidal thoughts.

The Invisible Burden Behind the Badge

Law enforcement officers have a higher risk than other segments of the population for social isolation, exposure to trauma, chronic disease, and disability, and other factors that can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.  And some segments within policing have even higher rates of suicidal thoughts, such as those with substance use disorders, certain medical conditions, and military service members, among other groups.

And if that’s not enough, a separate NIH-backed study found that shift work, especially overnight shifts, was associated with higher rates of absenteeism and illness among police personnel. Physical well-being plays a huge part in mental health, so those shift workers in law enforcement who are not getting enough sleep or proper nutrition often find themselves dealing with physical health issues such as cardiovascular disease.

Early Warning Systems

In recent years, a growing number of agencies have turned to technology to enhance public safety and support officer wellbeing in more proactive, preventative ways. One of the most promising developments is the implementation of early intervention systems (EIS). These data-driven platforms help agencies monitor behavior patterns that may signal underlying mental health issues, such as spikes in use-of-force reports, repeated citizen complaints, or increased sick leave.

Instead of viewing these data points in isolation, EIS tools provide a more holistic picture of an officer’s work history. When thresholds are triggered, supervisors can initiate conversations or recommend mental health resources before issues escalate into disciplinary action or personal crises. As agencies embrace non-traditional wellness plans to keep their staff healthy and maybe help reduce turnover, technology could prove useful.

Wearable Technology

While data analytics can flag long-term trends, wearable devices look at the present. Smartwatches and biometric sensors can track real-time heart rate variability, sleep quality, and other stress indicators. Combined with supervisory oversight of traumatic calls, officers—and even dispatchers—can be reminded to check their wearable devices in the hours, days, and weeks following a critical incident.

Often, the reminder that they’re not alone and supervisory staff realize the impact of traumatic calls not only nudges them to check their wearable devices and check in with themselves and how they’re feeling, but it also may provide the green light first responders may need to ask for time off or schedule time with a mental health professional or physical doctor.