When six civilians were gunned down by an off-duty police officer last week in Crandon, Wis., the process for hiring new police officers came under scrutiny. The tragedy raised obvious questions about the officer's mental capacity to handle the responsibility of his job, and it was later revealed the police officer in question was not required to pass a psychiatric evaluation as a condition of employment.
To help ensure that all police officers in Wisconsin are mentally stable, three state legislators introduced a bill last week that would require all police agencies to administer written and oral psychiatric tests to new hires.
With such power entrusted to them by the people, law enforcement personnel must wield their authority with extreme caution and balance to maintain the rule of law. A sound mind behind the barrel of a gun is an absolute necessity.
Mandatory psychiatric testing is already in place in Wisconsin's major metropolitan departments such as Milwaukee and Madison. To require these evaluations for the rest of Wisconsin's police forces would seem a natural extension of sound policy.
The most obvious barrier to this proposal seems to be affordability. Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, said in an interview with The Badger Herald, "Our concern is that the smaller communities, with not a lot of money or not a lot of psychologists available, haven't had the psychological testing that is necessary." It is for this reason that Mr. Hansen has suggested that the state fund the evaluations for those municipalities that cannot afford them.
If this requirement is to be state mandated, it should also be state funded. While critics may argue funding expenses for municipal officers with state funds is an unnecessary extension of state aid — or that it tampers with local control — it must be noted that municipal police also enforce state law. Residents may be assured of the mental stability of their own city, village or town police officers, but they should also be able to cross into other jurisdictions with the same security.
Given this reasoning, the state funding is justified. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the proposed psychiatric evaluations cost an average of $300-350 per person. Assuming these charges would only come into play when new officers are hired, the cost of state funding seems within reason given the safeguard it provides.