Asheville Police Address Mental Health in the Aftermath of First Officer-Involved Shooting in Years

Chad Herman: The Incident that Sparked the Conversation

Last week, the city of Asheville saw its first officer-involved shooting in four years. On Tuesday, August 27, 58-year-old Chad Herman reportedly brandished a weapon at police officers and bystanders near his residence. Despite multiple requests to relinquish his firearm, Herman did not comply, ultimately resulting in officers opening fire, leading to his demise.

Officers’ Mental Health: A Top Priority

Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb acknowledged the traumatic implications of such an event on the psyches of his officers. Having been involved in a similar incident back in 2018, Lamb has first-hand experience of such a harrowing ordeal. Stressing on the importance of their officers’ mental health, he stated, “It’s a traumatic situation. So we have several layers in place that help offer support to that officer and also to the other officers that were on scene as well.”

Layers of Support

The support structure that Lamb spoke of includes the department’s peer support team under the leadership of Lt. Diana Loveland, the team’s commander. Consisting of officers at various levels within the department, this team extends its support to officers dealing with the aftermath of critical incidents.

“Members are specifically trained to be able to support and walk alongside officers who have been involved with critical incidents,” Loveland elaborated on the team’s role. She highlighted the fact that though not professionals, the peer support team members are trained to provide the necessary support, and they have themselves walked through similar experiences.

Importance of Peer Support

Loveland further emphasized the need for peers to be available for expressing emotions and discussing traumatic incidents. “I’m not giving someone counseling, I’m not trained to be a therapist but just having the tools available to know that these are some of the things you might be experiencing, these are some things your family might be experiencing,” she said. She believes that such understanding and acceptance of emotional reactions can aid officers in managing stress effectively and, in turn, prolong their law enforcement careers.

Long-Term Objectives

Apart from tackling immediate emotional fallout, Lt. Loveland expressed the department’s goal of fostering a sense of trust and support among the police force. The department aims to create an environment where officers can comfortably speak about their experiences and comfortably seek help, ensuring support is always available.

At a time when mental health is progressively gaining due importance worldwide, these initiatives by the Asheville Police Department serve as an example of how it can be made an integral part of professional environments, particularly in high-stress jobs like law enforcement.