New York State Troopers may soon have access to nation-leading mental health leave following traumatic incidents, pending final approval from Governor Kathy Hochul.
On Monday, the New York State Troopers PBA applauded the Legislature for passing a bill that would mandate the creation of a critical incident leave policy, offering up to 20 days of paid time off for Troopers directly involved in serious use-of-force events.
“This legislation would ensure that…Troopers are not forced to deal with the added stress of returning to work before they have had time to fully process the aftereffects of critical incidents,” said PBA President Charles W. Murphy.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Jeremy Cooney and Assemblymember Patrick Burke, passed both houses with near-unanimous support. It also provides up to 15 days of paid leave for Troopers involved in such incidents but not directly responsible for injury or death.
Backers say the bill responds to rising PTSD rates and burnout in law enforcement, citing a 520% increase in annual Trooper retirements since 2006. It also aims to improve retention at a time when the number of new recruits is falling.
Supporters, including the Mental Health Association in New York State and the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York State, called the legislation a model for law enforcement agencies nationwide.
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