Vicarious Trauma and its Effects on Public Safety Professionals' Ability to Complete Unbiased Investigations

Public safety professionals routinely respond to incidents ranging from domestic disputes to violent crimes. This repeated exposure puts officers at risk for vicarious trauma (VT), a condition in which individuals develop stress symptoms from indirect exposure to others’ trauma. VT often overlaps with secondary traumatic stress, burnout (exhaustion from long-term overwork and emotional strain), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Together, these conditions can hinder an officer’s capacity