By Staff Writer
The People’s Paper MS

Covington County’s recent officer-involved shooting has shaken law enforcement communities across Mississippi, reigniting an all-too-familiar fear inside patrol cars, dispatch centers, and command posts: the words “officer down.”

For many in the public, it is a breaking news headline. For officers, it is something far more personal.

It is a moment that changes the air in a room. A call that stops conversation mid-sentence. A phrase that sends adrenaline and dread through every agency channel at once.

To better understand what happens inside the minds of officers during those moments, The People’s Paper MS spoke with Colendula Green, a National Mental Health Instructor with more than 20 years of law enforcement service and a member of L.E.A.P.S. (Law Enforcement Alliance for Peer Support). Green also lived through a line-of-duty death in 2013 when Officer Eric Smith was killed in the line of duty at her agency.

Her perspective is both professional and deeply personal.

She does not speak about officer trauma in theory. She speaks from experience.

“Officer Down”: What happens in that moment

Green said the first time she heard those words over the radio, her body reacted before her mind could fully process what was happening.

“The moment I heard ‘officer down’ over the radio, my heart dropped. My adrenaline was uncontrollable,” Green said. “Every officer knows those are the words we hope never to hear.”

She said training takes over quickly, but emotion never fully disappears.

“My first thoughts were who is it and how quickly can we get there,” she said. “Training kicks in immediately, but underneath that is a very human fear that someone you know and care about may be seriously injured or worse.”

Balancing training with personal fear

Green said law enforcement training teaches officers to secure the scene, stay focused, and complete the mission regardless of emotion. But real life is more complicated.

“When it is someone you know, someone you work alongside, someone you consider family, separating emotion from duty is extremely difficult,” she said. “You rely on your training, but emotionally it is heartbreaking.”

She said officers often compartmentalize in the moment because they have no other choice.

“But those emotions do not go away,” she added. “They come back later when things get quiet.”

When the reality finally sets in

According to Green, the weight of an “officer down” incident rarely hits during the chaos. It comes afterward.

“It usually sets in when things slow down,” she said. “There are briefings, investigations, funeral preparations, and supporting the family.”

Then comes the silence.

“The hardest moment is when the routine returns,” she said. “A shift starts and someone who was always there is no longer there. That is when it becomes real.”

How incidents like this change officers

Green said events like the recent Covington County shooting reinforce a reality officers already know but can sometimes drift from in day-to-day work.

“No call is routine,” she said. “Complacency is dangerous.”

She said the experience strengthens the focus on safety, communication, and teamwork.

“It reinforces the importance of training and looking out for one another,” she said. “It also highlights the need for mental and emotional support, not just tactical readiness.”

Healing after loss and trauma

Green said recovery in law enforcement is not linear and looks different for everyone.

“It involves acknowledging grief, talking about what happened, and leaning on peer support, family, faith, and professional counseling when needed,” she said.

As a mental health instructor, she said she strongly believes agencies must address trauma directly rather than ignore it.

“One of the greatest strengths in law enforcement is the bond officers share,” she said. “We check on each other. We have hard conversations. We attend memorials together.”

She also emphasized the importance of peer support programs like L.E.A.P.S.

“I have been a member of L.E.A.P.S. for several years,” she said. “Law Enforcement Alliance for Peer Support trains officers to help one another manage the psychological toll of the job, critical incidents, and personal struggles. Everything is confidential.”

She added that seeking help should never be seen as weakness.

“Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness,” she said.

What she wants the public to understand

Green said the public often sees law enforcement through headlines, body cameras, and brief moments of crisis. But behind every uniform is a person carrying the weight of repeated trauma.

“Behind every badge is a human being,” she said. “Officers experience fear, grief, loss, and trauma just like anyone else.”

She said officer injuries and deaths affect far more than just departments.

“It impacts families, coworkers, and entire communities,” she said. “Most officers go to work every day with a sincere desire to serve and protect.”

Her message to the public is simple.

“Remember the sacrifices that come with this profession,” she said. “And support the mental health and well-being of those who serve.”

Q&A: Colendula Green, National Mental Health Instructor and L.E.A.P.S. Member

1. What first went through your mind when you heard the “officer down” call on the radio?

The moment I heard “officer down” over the radio, my heart dropped. My adrenaline surged. Every officer knows those are words we hope never to hear. My first thoughts were, “Who is it, and how quickly can we get there?” Training immediately takes over, but underneath that response is a very human fear that someone may be seriously injured or worse.

2. How did you manage the tension between your professional training and your personal feelings while processing the scene?

Law enforcement training teaches us to stay focused, secure the scene, and perform our duties regardless of emotion. But when the officer involved is someone you know or consider family, it becomes extremely difficult. I relied on training to stay mission focused, but emotionally it was heartbreaking. You learn to compartmentalize in the moment because the situation demands it, but those emotions return later.

3. In the days immediately following, when did the reality fully hit you?

It usually sets in when things slow down. During the incident, there are briefings, investigations, and support for the officer’s family and coworkers. The reality truly hits when the routine returns and you realize someone who was always there is no longer present. Those quiet moments are often the hardest.

4. How has this experience changed your view of officer safety and mental health?

It reinforces that no call is routine and that complacency can be dangerous. It strengthens the importance of officer safety, communication, training, and watching out for one another. It also highlights the need for mental and emotional support, not just tactical readiness. Every officer deserves the tools to go home safely at the end of their shift.

5. What does the road to emotional recovery look like for you and your peers?

Recovery is not linear. It involves acknowledging grief, talking about the experience, and leaning on peer support, family, faith, and professional counselors when needed. As a mental health instructor, I understand the importance of addressing trauma instead of ignoring it. One of the strongest parts of law enforcement is the bond between officers. We check on one another and support each other through difficult moments.

6. Anything you want the public to understand that we did not ask?

Behind every badge is a human being. Officers experience fear, grief, loss, and trauma just like anyone else. When an officer is injured or killed, the impact reaches far beyond the department. Most officers serve with a sincere desire to protect their communities. I want the public to remember that and to support the mental health and well-being of those who serve.