27. September 2026

Long After Critical Incidents Occur, Many Officers Battling PTSD and Trauma on Their Own

Law enforcement officers are constantly facing critical incidents in Las Vegas, Nevada. From shootings, to officer involved shootings, officers being wounded, injured, or killed, and many more unfortunate situations that are not known to the public. It seems like every day there is at least one critical incident involving bodily harm or death. Many tragedies as of late have included younger people shooting their own parents or vice versa. It's horrible and catastrophic to communities. But law enforcement have no choice, they must and will respond. It is a heartbreaking career at times, and some veterans are having problems in their own life around what they have seen while in the line of duty. [1][2] We have witnessed days where there have been four or more critical incidents in a 24 hour period in Clark County, Nevada.

What is clear is this: officers need the long term support just as much as the short term support (especially the front line patrol officers and detectives). [1][2] In recent polling and discussions, it became clear that some officers are battling intense cases of trauma and PTSD to the point of suicidal ideation. Every case is different with each officer. [2][3] What can be said is there is no end to the violence or maiming that is seen across the valley.

What many in the public do not know is that post critical incidents there is an adrenaline dump where realization has not set in. The adrenaline phase is where the most vivid memories/trauma come from. Tunnel vision occurs and everything becomes slowed down. [4] Quick decisions have to be made in the adrenaline phase and loss of life is likely. The body goes through elevated heart rate, sweating, high temp, and hearing/visual changes. [4][5] Details that can vividly live on throughout the rest of that officers life. Many October 1, 2017 shooting veterans recall the sound of gunshots fired or the smell of gunpowder from that night. [6] Imagine having to see deceased people almost every week of your career, it is haunting and brings forth a different perspective on life in general. [1][2]

What follows is an intense phase of realization, this is where time speeds up and the incident becomes a memory days, weeks, and months after, but feels as if it happened yesterday. This is the phase where intense emotions lie hidden in day to day life. Grief, trauma, sadness, depression, and guilt begin to slowly accumulate and the most support is needed for each individual officer. [3][5] This phase can last for years and it does the most damage to mental health if not treated or talked about. [3][5] Burn out and detachment is also common during this phase as the support begins to slow down. [3] Thankfully, there is much more focus by law enforcement agencies today after a critical incident than there ever has been before. [7] Mostly all officers agree that short term support is definitely in place, and that they feel well supported by their police department and unions.

However, we have found a different angle about long term support. Most officers say the support "runs out" and this is when problems start. This is especially true for officers who have no family or friends nearby, or live by themselves. [8] The long term support is up to the officer to seek out help through therapy, medication, or other methods of relief. [3][7] We believe that there is a level of responsibility that should come from family and friends to "push" their police officer relative to seeking help if they are not able to do so alone. [8]

This is where VegasBlueAlliance has come in. At VBA, we are communicating with officers about their past and understanding their trauma. We are by no means a licensed full time therapist or psychiatrist office, but we talk and discuss with any officers (especially in crisis.) We are informal and encourage discussions on issues as an unofficial channel for officers. We have pushed for a buddy check program where officers randomly check in on others either by text or in person at random times throughout each week. This has seen some success but it is not widely utilized. [9]

Long term support for officers is going to come down to police departments, therapists, psychiatrists, chaplains, unions, wellness agencies or bureaus, family/friends, and even strangers who may be there in a time of crisis. A combination of resources needs to be in place. [1][7][9] While we all tend to have busy lives, we should never deny talking to another officer or their family. We never know if it is their last conversation. An officer that needs help will not always seek it for fear of reputation, status, or being let go by their department. [2][10] After all, every officer is a human being with real emotions. We applaud those officers who are struggling but taking every day like a champion. Whether your critical incident occurred yesterday or 20 years ago, you deserve a chance to share what you have been through. At VBA, you can always reach out and talk to us and if you would like us to share your perspectives, let us know on Instagram. We may also share your story on our website if you give us permission. We will not decline any officer who wishes to talk when they feel they can't go anywhere else.

Sources

1. CDC/NIOSH — Mental Health Challenges in the Public Safety Sector. NIOSH states that law-enforcement officers and other public-safety workers face high occupational exposure to traumatic events and stress and that effective programs should address PTSD, resilience, coping, stress management, and organizational factors. CDC/NIOSH: Tackling Mental Health Challenges in the Public Safety Sector CDC
2. CDC/NIOSH — Suicides Among First Responders. Occupational stress among first responders is associated with depression, post-traumatic stress, hopelessness, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. The CDC also discusses stigma and fears about being considered unfit for duty. CDC/NIOSH: Suicides Among First Responders — A Call to Action CDC
3. National Institute of Mental Health — PTSD. NIMH documents recurring traumatic memories, flashbacks, physical stress reactions, guilt, negative emotions, social isolation, detachment, sleep problems, and PTSD symptoms that can persist for a year or longer. NIMH: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder National Institute of Mental Health
4. Peer-reviewed research on police critical incidents and perceptual distortion. Research involving police officers documents tunnel vision, diminished sound, perceived slow motion/time distortion, automatic responses, and memory distortions during officer-involved shootings and other high-stress encounters. PMC: Stress-Activity Mapping — Physiological Responses During General Duty Police Encounters PubMed Central (PMC)
5. Peer-reviewed research on acute physiological arousal in police officers. Acute stress can increase vigilance while interfering with peripheral visual processing, executive functioning, environmental feedback, and other aspects of performance. PMC: Differential Effects of Physiological Arousal Following Acute Stress on Police Officer Performance PubMed Central (PMC)
6. Accounts connected with the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas shooting. UNLV's oral-history collection includes LVMPD officers discussing their response, personal trauma, emotions, and memories following 1 October. More recent reporting also documents former LVMPD personnel continuing to experience vivid memories, guilt and nightmares years afterward. UNLV Special Collections: Sgt. Steve Riback 1 October Oral History UNLV Special Collections
7. LVMPD Wellness Bureau and Peer Support Program. LVMPD currently provides 24/7 crisis intervention, peer support after officer-involved shootings and other critical incidents, follow-up support, group debriefings, referrals to counselors and psychologists, suicide-prevention education, and other wellness resources. LVMPD: Peer Support Program LVMPD
8. Police social support research. Research has identified social support as an important factor related to police wellbeing following traumatic incidents, including support from colleagues, partners, friends, and family. PubMed: Police Officers' Experiences of Supportive and Unsupportive Social Interactions Following Traumatic Incidents PubMed
9. SAMHSA — Responder Peer Support. SAMHSA states that peer-support programs can help first responders cope with difficult response work, reduce stigma, provide emotional support, strengthen team cohesion, and connect responders to additional resources following critical incidents. SAMHSA: Responder Peer Support SAMHSA
10. Research on barriers to officers seeking mental-health assistance. A systematic review found that law-enforcement culture and stigma can interfere with officers' willingness to reach out for professional help. DOJ guidance similarly identifies fears about employment status, job assignments, confidentiality, and judgment by coworkers or management as significant barriers. PubMed: Law Enforcement Mental Health — Systematic Review