Stein, Hodgson:
Police & ADD — Attention must be paid
It is hoped that this article does not dissuade any officer experiencing personal problems or emotional distress from seeking counseling or psychological help. The days of stigma for getting help are hopefully long past. However, the issue of officers questioning whether or not they have a problem with attention, known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), is a special problem, one that necessitates that officers be armed with appropriate information about the subject before seeking help. This article is written because officers have stepped forward questioning whether or not they might have ADD/ADHD. Imagine the following case scenario:
Officer McDougal drives up to a burglary in progress. He draws his weapon and appropriately calls out, “Halt! Police! Drop everything and slowly raise your hands.” The perpetrator suddenly turns and pulls a bologna sandwich, wrapped in aluminum foil, from his right pocket in order to offer it to the officer. Believing the object to be a gun, Officer McDougal fires, resulting in the perpetrator being paralyzed from a bullet in the spine. ...
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