ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q2-2024

Continued from "Hoping for a Better Future", on page 15

Continued from "Safeguarding Those We Serve", on page 10

ter injuries in the line of duty. The primary recourse for those injured on the job is often the workers’ compensation system, a process governed by state statute timelines. The injured worker must report the injury within a specified period, for instance, seven days, and seek medical treatment within another period, typically around 90 days from the time of reporting. Each agency has specific forms for the initial injury and medical treatment report, serving as the fundamental information required to initiate the acceptance of a claim by the workers’ compensation third-party administrator. Nevertheless, the administrator, acting as the insurer contracted by the governing entity, often strives to settle claims with minimal compensation, translating to the least amount of medical treatment necessary to return the injured worker to a full-duty rating. The approved doctors for treatment may not al ways be the best fit for addressing the worker's specific injuries, contributing to potential challenges in the recovery process. Another critical aspect of workers’ compensation claims in volves the final injury rating. Even if workers are released to full duty, they may not be entirely restored to their pre-injury state. In such cases, the worker is entitled to compensation based on the percentage of loss, determined by a certified rating doctor. The administrator's acceptance or denial of the rating can lead to legal hearings for a final resolution on what is rightfully due to the worker. In my excess of two decades of police service, not once did I hear a union advise an officer to face Internal Affairs alone. They consistently emphasized the importance of having a representa tive familiar with the process to safeguard their rights. Shouldn't the same principle apply when an injured officer becomes subject to an "investigation" by a third-party administrator, whose primary objective may not align with the injured worker’s well-being? Numerous law firms across the country specialize in workers' compensation law and can prove invaluable in repre senting injured workers, particularly law enforcement. As leaders, it is imperative that we thoroughly understand the workers’ compensation process so that we can assist our injured officers during the most challenging times in their careers. Officers did not join the force to work behind a desk or be on light duty. Nor did they anticipate that an injury sustained while performing their duties would lead to a bureaucratic quagmire involving paperwork, insurance adjuster approvals, delayed medical treatment, legal hearings, or an all-out denial of the claim. The more knowledge we have and the better we can educate our officers about workers’ compensation, the more effectively they can navigate the process and return to work fully recovered and prepared for full duty.

References 1 Bennett, R. R., & Schmitt, E. L. (2002). The effect of work environment on levels of police cynicism: A comparative study. Police Quarterly , 5(4), 493-522. 2 Hickman, M. J., Piquero, N. L., & Piquero, A. R. (2004). The validity of Niederhoffer's cynicism scale. Journal of Criminal Justice , 32(1), 1-13. 3 White, D. R., Kyle, M. J., & Schafer, J. (2020). Police officer self-legitimacy: the role of organizational fit. Policing: An International Journal , 43(6), 993-1006. 4 Regoli, B., Crank, J. P., & Rivera Jr, G. F. (1990). The construction and implementation of an alternative measure of police cynicism. Criminal Justice and Behavior , 17(4), 395-409. 5 Graves, W. (1996). Police cynicism: Causes and cures. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , 65, 16-20 6 Goleman, D. (1998). Leader? Harvard Business Review , 76, 93-102. 7 Morin, R. (2017, March 9). Roughly one-in-five police frequently feel angry and frustrated on the job . Pew Research Center. 8 Magny, O., & Todak, N. (2021). Emotional intelligence in policing: a state-of-the- art review. Policing: An International Journal , 44(6), 957-969. 9 Goleman, D. (1998). Leader? Harvard Business Review , 76, 93-102. 10 White, D. R., Schafer, J., & Kyle, M. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on police training academies. Policing: An International Journal , 45(1), 9-22. 11 Kristof-Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D., & Johnson, E. C. (2005). Consequences of Individuals’ Fit at work: A Meta-Analysis of Person–Job, Person–Organization, Person–Group, and Person–Supervisor Fit. Personnel psychology , 58(2), 281-342. 12 Ingram, J. R., Paoline III, E. A., & Terrill, W. (2013). A multilevel framework for understanding police culture: The role of the workgroup. Criminology , 51(2), 365-397. 13 White, D. R., Kyle, M. J., & Schafer, J. (2020). Police officer self-legitimacy: the role of organizational fit. Policing: An International Journal , 43(6), 993-1006. 14 Nix, J., Wolfe, S. E., & Campbell, B. A. (2018). Command-level police officers’ perceptions of the “war on cops” and de-policing. Justice Quarterly , 35(1), 33-54. 15 White, D. R., Schafer, J., & Kyle, M. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on police training academies. Policing: An International Journal , 45(1), 9-22. 16 Task Force (2015). The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Final Report. Washington, D.C.: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 17 Nix, J., Wolfe, S. E., & Campbell, B. A. (2018). Command-level police officers’ perceptions of the “war on cops” and de-policing. Justice Quarterly , 35(1), 33-54. 18 Nix, J., Wolfe, S. E., & Campbell, B. A. (2018). Command-level police officers’ perceptions of the “war on cops” and de-policing. Justice Quarterly , 35(1), 33-54. 19 Sierra-Arévalo, M., Nix, J., & Mourtgos, S. M. (2023). The “war on cops,” retaliatory violence, and the murder of George Floyd. Criminology , 61(3), 389-420.

About the Authors: Dr. David R. White , Ph.D., is a retired assistant chief of police from the Paducah Police Department (KY) and a graduate of the 255th session of the FBI National Academy (2014). Since his retirement from policing in 2018, he has taught criminal justice at Ferris State University, where he is currently an associ ate professor.

Dr. Joseph Schafer , Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. He conducts research, teaching, and train ing in the areas of policing, leadership, organizational change, and future issues in crime and justice.

Marian Elizabeth (Beth) Coleman , M.Ed. Leadership Education Unit at the FBI National Academy, is an Adjunct Faculty for the University of Virginia and cur rently teaches Graduate Psychology of Leadership and Emotional Intelligence: Leadership & Context courses for the FBI National Academy.

About the Author: Captain Dane Mattoon , M.A., (Ret.), serves as the Chief Operating Officer at GGRM Law Firm. With over two decades of dedicated service in law enforcement, he retired from the Henderson Police Department in Nevada after 23 years. Captain Mattoon holds a master's degree in administrative leadership and organizational Culture and is a distinguished graduate of both the FBI National Academy Session 272 and Northwestern University's Center for Public Safety, 339th School of Police Staff and Command. He is also an active member of the FBINAA and the Nevada Chapter.

52 FBINAA.ORG | Q2 2024