title: You're it! How to psychologically survive an internal investigation, disciplinary proceeding, or legal action in the police, fire, medical, mental health, legal, or emergency services professions.
abstract: Rightly or wrongly, law enforcement, public safety, medical, mental health, legal, and emergency services professionals may have to face internal investigation, disciplinary measures, license suspension, criminal prosecution, civil lawsuits, and/or personal life disruption related to actions taken in the course of their work. This article describes the main categories of misconduct--or simply mistakes--that can cause different types of professionals to be investigated, charged, prosecuted, and/or sued. It next discusses the kinds of psychological reactions commonly seen in workers who face these kinds of proceedings. Finally, the article offers a set of practical psychological coping strategies and procedural recommendations for dealing with the stresses of an investigation, administrative action, or litigation, and for mitigating their effects on one's life and career.
authors.affiliation: West Palm Beach Police Department, USA. docmilphd@aol.com
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003219:Confidentiality; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D004647:Employee Discipline; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008318:Malpractice; D008605:Mental Health Services; D017008:Negotiating; D010559:Personnel Management; D016495:Police; D011340:Problem Solving; D028743:Professional Misconduct / Q000523:psychology*; D011613:Psychotherapy; D018635:Rescue Work