Cherylynn Lee

iStock.com/Jacob Wackerhausen People ask me all the time what I do for a living. The short answer is that I’m a police psychologist. The longer answer is that even after I explain it, most people are still confused. While many people assume that police psychologists spend their days conducting evaluations or providing counseling, the reality is far broader. No two days in police psychology are ever the same.

Generated by 911MEDIA staff Law enforcement culture has long recognized the psychological load carried by those who serve. Stress, trauma and moral injury are not anomalies in policing; they are embedded in the work itself. For peer support team members, however, this load is compounded. They carry not only their own experiences, but also the emotional weight of their colleagues.

iStock.com/JSantiagoPhoto Someone once told me that when it comes to the job, you’ll remember your first, your worst and your last. When it comes to a line-of-duty death (LODD), it often becomes both your first and your worst … and, if you’re fortunate, your first is also your last. Grieving the loss of a brother or sister who wears the same uniform is different. It’s different than a bad call, a brutal investigation or even the slow loss of who you were before this career. An LODD is heavier.