CrimeBeat Q&A: How do police take care of their mental health?

CrimeBeat Q&A is a weekly feature where reporters answer readers' questions about local crimes and the law.

How do police care for their mental health after tragedies like the two children killed in June by their father?

The death of 6-year-old Juliana Camara and 19-month-old Julian Camara at the hands of their father, who then took his own life, shocked the city.

Santa Rosa police and Sonoma County sheriff's deputies who responded also were affected by the trauma of finding the three bodies in a Salter Street apartment.

Sheriff's deputies had climbed in through a bathroom window June 19 at the home of the children's father, Alvaro Botelho Da Camara, 40, where they discovered the kids' bodies on a bed. The father was found hanged.

Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Josh Ludtke, who took control of the crime scene, didn't let detectives with young children see Juliana and Julian Camara inside the house over concern of its impact.

“Nothing compares to what the mother must have experienced. We're not victims, she is,” said Ludtke, head of the violent crime investigation team. “But these things can be life changing … there are certain things you can't unsee.

“These are the hardest things you'll come across. I didn't want anyone seeing something they didn't have to.”

A few days after the incident more than 30 Santa Rosa police officers, sheriff's deputies and dispatch personnel gathered to discuss the experience with a psychologist moderating, Ludtke said. Group debriefings moderated by a mental health professional after traumatic incidents are standard at both agencies. Typically, officers and deputies describe their experiences and how they were affected, Ludtke said. The meetings can be emotional.

“It gives people a chance to let their guard down and be vulnerable,” he said. “It's important to talk about these things.”

It all takes a toll on an officer's mental health. Ludtke describes not addressing traumatic events like piling towels on your back - a couple aren't heavy, but when they pile up they can be a burden.

Both the Sheriff's Office and the Santa Rosa Police Department offer peer support units where deputies and officers can speak with colleagues trained to help work out job-related issues.

The Santa Rosa police have a pool of area psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors. The Sheriff's Office uses Joel Fay, a San Rafael-based psychologist and former police officer who works specifically with law enforcement.

“You see things in law enforcement you don't see in other lines of work,” said Sgt. Spencer Crum, spokesman for the Sheriff's Office. “You have to make sure to talk to someone about it don't leave it bottled up. (Post-traumatic stress disorder) is an issue.”

Submit your questions about crime, safety and criminal justice to Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim.