Fit, Unfit or Misfit?: How to Perform Fitness for Duty Evaluations in Law Enforcement Professionals

This book is the product of a decade of clinical practice, research, and collaboration with a variety of professionals. It presents an overall perspective on the reasons for performing FFD evaluations and understanding of the process, why such evaluations are performed and the expectations of the professionals conducting such evaluations. Stress in law enforcement personnel and the reasons why law enforcement professionals experience difficulty is explored. Common causes of unfit officers are examined, including major psychiatric syndromes, personality disorders, and interesting findings regarding family psychiatric history in officers found fit or unfit for duty. Many of the myriad of structured psychological tests that can be used in FFD evaluations are discussed. Medication issues in FFD evaluations are explored as well as the potential impact that medications may have on officers' fitness. Another section of the book explores police officers' expectations of mental health professionals and outlines stereotypes and expectations that law enforcement personnel have regarding mental health personnel. For evaluators, an understanding of the lack of information and misconceptions that officers have may assist them with interacting and educating officers and referring departments. Other sections consider gender and ethnic issues in hiring, stress, and FFD evaluations; duty death and the nature of the stress experienced by law enforcement personnel; police suicide and FFD; how to manage misfit officers; and legal considerations involved in the conduct of FFD evaluations. It is hoped that by reading this book, mental health professionals will be better able to understand and treat the difficulties that law enforcement professionals encounter in the performance of their hazardous and stressful public service. Law enforcement executives may also benefit from understanding how psychological experts determine fitness. In addition, to quote Deputy Chief Brian J. Wilson, 'It's very helpful to understand how police officers' gut instinct about these issues is supported by literature research.'