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CEO Bob Plaschke speaks with Michael Sugrue, former Air Force captain, retired Walnut Creek Police Sergeant, and author of Relentless Courage, about the quiet costs of the job and what leaders can do about them.
Sugrue favors “post-traumatic stress injury” (PTSI) over “disorder.” The point is simple: repeated exposure to trauma causes physical changes in the brain. Injuries can be acknowledged and treated. Labels matter when you’re trying to get people to ask for help.
He also draws a clear line between deployments and policing. Military combat often has a defined start and end. Patrol doesn’t. For 20–30 years, every contact can turn lethal. That sustained hyper-vigilance is its own burdenand it follows officers off duty.
The leadership prescription is practical: be honest, open, and appropriately vulnerable. If command staff never admit struggle, line officers won’t either. Build predictable pathways like peer support, culturally competent clinicians, confidential access, and treat wellness like any other readiness requirement.
If you lead in public safety or work beside those who do Relentless Courage is worth a read. The profession needs a culture where asking for help is strength, recovery is expected, and officers get the space and support to do the job well.
