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Testifying after an Investigation: Shaping the Mental Health of Public Safety Personnel

Author

Listed:
  • Rosemary Ricciardelli

    (Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada)

  • R. Nicholas Carleton

    (Psychology Department, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada)

  • Barbara Anschuetz

    (The Trauma Centre, Cape Town 7925, South Africa)

  • Sylvio Gravel

    (Badge of Life Canada, Orillia, ON L3V 5X6, Canada)

  • Brad McKay

    (Badge of Life Canada, Orillia, ON L3V 5X6, Canada)

Abstract

In this editorial, we draw on two Canadian cases to interrogate how mass causality events and investigations consume many responders before (e.g., public safety communicators, detachment service assistants), during (e.g., police, fire, paramedics), and after the incident (e.g., coroners, correctional workers, media coverage). Their well-being may suffer from the associated processes and outcomes. In the current article, we focus on the mass causality incident of 2020 in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the investigation following a prisoner death in 2019 in Newfoundland, Canada, to explore how testifying post-incident can be made more palatable for participating public safety personnel (PSP). Specifically, we study how testifying after an adverse event can affect PSP (e.g., recalling, vicarious trauma, triggers) and how best to mitigate the impact of testimony on PSP well-being, with a lens to psychological “recovery” or wellness. We focus here on how to support those who may have to testify in a judicial proceeding or official inquiry, given being investigated for best-intended actions can result in moral injury or a posttraumatic stress injury, both exacerbated by judicial review, charge, accusation, or inquiry.

Suggested Citation

  • Rosemary Ricciardelli & R. Nicholas Carleton & Barbara Anschuetz & Sylvio Gravel & Brad McKay, 2022. "Testifying after an Investigation: Shaping the Mental Health of Public Safety Personnel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-8, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13643-:d:948977
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andréanne Angehrn & Michelle J. N. Teale Sapach & Rosemary Ricciardelli & Renée S. MacPhee & Gregory S. Anderson & R. Nicholas Carleton, 2020. "Sleep Quality and Mental Disorder Symptoms among Canadian Public Safety Personnel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-14, April.
    2. R. Nicholas Carleton & Rosemary Ricciardelli & Tamara Taillieu & Meghan M. Mitchell & Elizabeth Andres & Tracie O. Afifi, 2020. "Provincial Correctional Service Workers: The Prevalence of Mental Disorders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-13, March.
    3. R. Nicholas Carleton & Tracie O. Afifi & Tamara Taillieu & Sarah Turner & Julia E. Mason & Rosemary Ricciardelli & Donald R. McCreary & Adam D. Vaughan & Gregory S. Anderson & Rachel L. Krakauer & Eli, 2020. "Assessing the Relative Impact of Diverse Stressors among Public Safety Personnel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-25, February.
    4. Rosemary Ricciardelli & Stephen Czarnuch & R. Nicholas Carleton & James Gacek & James Shewmake, 2020. "Canadian Public Safety Personnel and Occupational Stressors: How PSP Interpret Stressors on Duty," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-16, July.
    5. Andréanne Angehrn & Amber J. Fletcher & R. Nicholas Carleton, 2021. "“Suck It Up, Buttercup”: Understanding and Overcoming Gender Disparities in Policing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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