WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall met with Kansas law enforcement leaders and mental health providers Tuesday to talk about the stresses officers face on the job and how agencies can better support them.
The town hall-style discussion drew community leaders, mental health organizations and agencies from across the state. Participants shared officers’ experiences, highlighted resources and pressed the importance of addressing stigma so more first responders will seek help when they need it.
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“I believe that it’s a known part of the job that you’re going to see the worst of your community, the worst of what people’s behaviors can be,” said McPherson Police Chief Mikel Golden. “But it’s about learning from that and growing from that, and the only way you can do that is by using post-traumatic growth.”
Marshall said the conversation underscored how frequently officers encounter trauma and how broad the expectations on them have become…