Published: Jan 27, 2012

DOJ to Help Police Handle Veterans

Highly trained, sometimes heavily armed veterans who are dealing with post-war mental stress can pose unique challenges for police officers in the United States if a stand-off should occur.

To better prepare officers, the U.S. Department of Justice is funding a new program that the developers say will meet an "urgent need," USA Today reported. The program, which will include training and safety tips, will debut at 15 sites around the country this year.

"We just can't use the blazing-guns approach anymore when dealing with disturbed individuals who are highly trained in all kinds of tactical operations, including guerrilla warfare," Dennis Cusick, executive director of the Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute, told the newspaper. "That goes beyond the experience of SWAT teams."

A recent U.S. Army report found that from 2010 to 2011, violent felonies in the service were up 1 percent, and nonviolent felonies jumped 11 percent.

First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden recently announced a new initiative to improve the healthcare of veterans and their families that will have a focus on treating post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Such mental issues may spur veterans to commit crimes.