Law Enforcement Psychological Fitness for Duty: Clinical Issues

The law enforcement psychological fitness for duty (FFD) evaluation is a psychological evaluation of an incumbent law enforcement official to determine whether he or she is psychologically capable of exercising the police role. Usually the subject of the evaluation is a police officer, but it could be a dispatcher, nonsworn technician or jailer, animal control officer, or some other individual in a safety sensitive position within a law enforcement organization. The examination takes place in response to evidence that the employee may not be fit for duty and, therefore, is distinct from other kinds of psychological evaluations of incumbents (e.g., special assignment evaluations, postshooting assessments). The examination often goes further than addressing whether an officer is fit for duty. Under recent law, such evaluations must also address such issues as what interventions must take place before the officer becomes fit or what kinds of accommodations, if any, must be in place to permit the officer to work in spite of the difficulties.