Moral Injury

The job of law enforcement can result in moral injury. According to Dr. J. Irene Harris’ presentation entitled, “PTSD and Spirituality,” moral injury is defined as “the psychological and behavioral sequelae of experiences that challenge deeply held moral, spiritual, or values related beliefs.” Each day, law enforcement encounters situations that may possibly lead to moral injury. Faith heals moral injury. Dr. Harris’ research has proven that those who have a stronger faith life have greater levels of posttraumatic growth (Harris 2018). Various programs that focus on the spiritual life amongst chaos and disaster have resulted in reduced spiritual distress, improved post traumatic stress disorder symptoms, lower levels of depression, personal growth, higher levels of social connection, and increased mindfulness (Harris 2018). Practicing a well rounded faith life helps negate the various negative impacts of law enforcement. It helps to not let morals slide and deviate from who they truly are because morals themselves are rooted in faith. (M. Aysta, personal communication, June 6, 2022). Science does not lie, and science tells us that faith helps to negate negative traumatic experiences. 

Faith does not only heal moral injury. It also improves PTSD and associated symptoms. Ethically speaking, spiritual care is a very necessary requirement in order to improve health and wellbeing after disaster strikes. Law enforcement are in the line of disaster each and every single day. Remember, no one calls law enforcement when things are going well. They only call them when things are going terrible, and usually the worst of humanity is involved. This is why faith is important. Clergy members can serve as a resource for emotional strength and a light at the end of the tunnel. A study done at the University of Connecticut (Wortman 2011) found that spiritual evaluation and faith life are how military personnel work through PTSD that arises as a result of trauma. While this study is about military personnel rather than law enforcement, due to similarities in the psychological and physiological responses to stress and trauma over time, similar findings would be expected for law enforcement. People's religious beliefs are a part of who they are, and therefore impact how they cope with stress and disaster. Having an unstable spiritual life may make law enforcement officers more prone to negative stress responses such as PTSD, depression, and more (Wortman 2011). That is why it is essential to cultivate and maintain a positive spiritual life. This study is indicative that there needs to be an emphasis on faith life. Even if someone is struggling spiritually, attending Mass provides reassurance, stability, familiarity, and is a reminder that regardless of the trauma going on outside, there is consistency, unity, and comfort in faith. It is important to help law enforcement recognize that it is okay to struggle with your faith, and to question it without abandoning it. Spiritual struggle is expected for those who go through trauma. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the stronger your faith base is, the better you are able to handle trauma. Based on my interviews, law enforcement personnel who had a faith life had an easier time recovering from an active shooter incident than those who did not. Of the two interviewees, one is a practicing Catholic who described that Mass is her place of peace that she uses to ground herself, especially around her job. The other interviewee does not practice any faith and struggles to believe in God. Both experienced PTSD symptoms, but the one who had a faith life used her faith as an outlet and her symptoms were very brief and she did not struggle with them after less than a month. However, the second interviewee dealt with symptoms for up to six months after the incident and still deals with PTSD struggles today (anonymous, personal communication, June 6, 2022).