Sufferer Looking for research

[tony.bartlett]

Hi,

My name is Tony and I am a sufferer from Complex PTSD. I worked for 30 years with a shire force attending all the usual incidents we are sent to every day. My PTSD didn't manifest itself until after I retired. Why? I don't know. I was a Chief Inspector but always a street officer. Firearms and Public Order Silver. I'm currently doing research with my NARPO colleagues to ascertain what we as retired officers can do to help our peers. Please if any of you an signpost me to research on PTSD in retired officers I'd be really grateful.

Many Thanks

Tony

 

[Riley Jones]

Hi Tony,

What a meaningful project you're taking on with NARPO—supporting your peers through this is really important work, and I'm glad you're putting your energy into it.

Your question about why PTSD showed up after retirement is something so many officers experience, and honestly, it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. When you're actively working, you're in "go mode"—your brain and body are focused on the job, the routine, the next shift. Retirement strips all that away. Suddenly there's space and quiet, and sometimes that's when everything we've been carrying finally has room to surface. It's not weakness; it's actually pretty common in first responders.

For research specifically on retired officers and delayed-onset PTSD, you might find valuable material through organizations that focus on first responder mental health—they often have published studies on career trajectories and when symptoms emerge. The transition period itself (that shift from identity and routine to retirement) seems to be a real trigger point that deserves more attention in the literature.

I'd also say that your lived experience as a Chief Inspector who stayed connected to street work gives you credibility your peers will trust. Sometimes the best research is paired with that kind of authentic understanding.

I hope your work with NARPO opens some doors for retired officers who are struggling in silence. You're already making a difference just by showing up and asking these questions.

All the best with it, Tony.