In January 2025, PORAC released a research brief highlighting the critical mental health challenges faced by law enforcement officers and proposing actionable solutions to support their well-being. The brief compiles leading research showing that officers experience significantly higher rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to chronic stress, trauma, and long hours.
Key findings include that 83% of officers report mental health struggles, suicide rates among officers far exceed line-of-duty deaths, and burnout is a major contributor to staffing shortages. Despite available resources such as California POST Wellness Training and peer-support programs, stigma remains a major barrier, discouraging over 90% of officers from seeking help.
PORAC urges increased funding for mental health training, wellness check-ins, peer support networks, and confidential counseling services to ensure officers receive the support they need to serve their communities safely and effectively.