how do police officers and other law enforcement deal with the death that they see?

Answer 1

It's true that you merely get used to it. Death is merely a part of the job. In the 2 years I've been with the police department here, I've been to several death scenes. I've seen two fatal gunshots (both self-inflicted), one fatal motorcycle accident, and a "natural" death.

Within my first week on the road, I had a double homicide/suicide fiasco. Just this passed week, it was my task to help the mortician place a corpse in a body bag and on a stretcher. The guy had been dead for about 4 days, died of natural causes, apparently. He just happened to be the same age as my dad, with similar health problems.

You may think about it, but all in all, you deal with it, and move on. Just another day at the office. Nothing more, nothing less....

The thing that helps some of us the most is knowing that it is only a small part of our job. To me, this is one of the greatest jobs, not because I take people to jail, give out tickets, or get to run red lights with lights and sirens wailing. It's a great job because I have the ability to help people and make a difference. Firsthand, i get to see people at their worst, and try to give them a hand up. If you can remember that this job is about helping people first, then you can put all the negativity aside in order to do your job.....

Answer 2

I can only answer from my own experience being married to a Police Officer for 28 years. It may look as is if they deal well with death but they don't always. I can remember a few times that really stick out in my mind alot. One of the times was when he had to deal with a baby dying and we had a baby that age he didn't sleep at all when he came home. Sometimes they look like nothing bothers them but they work through it and act as though they have thick skin but underneath it really isn't that way. I don't believe they can ever totally handle everything they just bury it and move on.

Answer 3

Very difficult question. I think each person handles these things different. In 16 years my husband has seen way too many deaths. I know in the 13 years that we have been together he usually comes home and cuddles with me and sheds a few tears at times. On a few deaths he has had to spend some time with the pastor of the police department. I don't think this gets any easier the longer you are a cop and the more you see.

Answer 4

(See My Profile) When you see enough of it you will find a morbid sense of humor. You will discuss the matter with fellow officers it what might seem to others as "flippant". This is however a defense system that helps your mind cope with the horrors that you must face nearly every day. I wish I could say that it gets easier but it will in fact build up over time.

Speak with your spouse..

Another way is to find outside activities that make you feel good. Some officers donate time to charities and such. You must find something to reassure that there is good in the world. When I retired I moved away from the area I served and found other jobs that made me realize that there indeed was good in the world.

Answer 5

You become desensitized after a while. Some Officers who can't handle the daily stress let it spill over into their personal lives. Police have the highest occupational occurance of suicide, divorce, and alcoholism. All are coping mechanisms. That's another reason police tend to hang out in their off time with other cops. Civilians don't understand what we see everyday, but your cop friends do.

Answer 6

Being in law enforcement myself, I have dealt with traumatic scenes. The first scene is always the worst because you don't know what it is going to look like, you don't know who you're going to see and have to deal with. My first experience of a death scene, I have to leave the scene while fire and rescue responded. I have about 15 minutes to gather myself before additional help got on scene. You tend to say a prayer for them however, you must carry out your duties to protect the scene and to capture your killer, if it's a murder, or help a family if they just lost a loved one to a drunk driver, an accident, a suicide,etc. This is not an easy job. Like I said, the first scene is always the worst but once you go on one, you know how to brace yourself and prepare your mind for what you are about to see. Some departments have a lengthy response time to a scene so you have plenty of time to know what is going on (get an idea on how it happened) and prepare yourself that way.
At anytime, if the scene is horrible, we can call in our Crisis Team who will come in a debrief the incident, which usually helps with things

Answer 7

From personel experience, I can tell you that you get used to it. I have seen roughly 750-1000 bodies in the course of my 12 year career. The first dozen or so bothered me, but you learn to deal with it. Most departments offer counseling services that help you deal, and if that doesn't help, there is always family that you can talk to. You become desensitized after awhile and you find that you don't even need to talk about it. You get to the point where you develop a morbid sense of humor.

Answer 8

The husband of a friend of mine had to kill somebody in the line of duty (the husband was a police officer), and he never got over it. After a serious battle with depression, he left law enforcement altogether.

Answer 9

When you see enough, you get use to it. Some are more drastic that the others, but in the end they are all dead. Sometime you even find humor in it , just to offset your mind. The most disturbing is the one that involve a child or young person. Those are the ones that would hunt you for a long time.

Answer 10

I agree with ranger - you get a really sick sense of humor after a while. It's a coping mechanism - otherwise you'll go nuts. You have to get hardened to it. The first couple of times really gets to you, but you deal with it and try not to let it get to you, although it usually does anyway - and you cope in your own way.