For generations, police officers were expected to absorb the difficult things they saw on the job and simply move on. Fatal accidents, unexpected deaths, family crises, violence, and the daily stress of police work were considered part of the profession, with relatively little attention given to what that repeated exposure could do to an officer over time.
The Cambridge Police Department is trying a different approach.
Working in partnership with the Dorchester County Health Department and supported by a federal Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness grant, the department has brought a mental health professional directly into the everyday life of the police station. Rather than waiting for officers to seek traditional counseling, the program focuses on building relationships and trust through time spent in the squad room, conversations with officers, and ride-alongs in the community.
Cambridge Police Chief Justin Todd says he recognized the need shortly after becoming chief in 2022, but initially struggled to figure out how to create a program officers would actually accept. That began to change after meeting Sue Radcliffe, a mental health professional who helped explain how repeated exposure to trauma affects the brain and the long-term well-being of law enforcement officers.
In this Spy interview, Chief Todd and Sue talk about why the program was needed, the challenge of earning the trust of police officers, and what Cambridge is learning about taking care of the people whose job is to take care of the community.
This video is approximately five minutes in length.
