Lights, Camera, Unrealistic Expectations: How Media Shapes Public Perception and Impacts Officer Wellness

Dr. Catanese, PsyD is a Forensic and Law Enforcement Psychologist. She is a Police Psychologist at the Los Angeles Police Department where she provides clincial services for department employees, provides training and consultation, and is part of the crisis negotiation team. She is the first psychologist at LAPD with sworn law enforcement experience. She spent seven years as a police officer, where she performed duties as a patrol officer, Terrorism Liaison Officer, and background investigator while pursuing her doctorate in Forensic Psychology. Dr. Catanese is also the daughter, sister, and wife of law enforcement officers, bringing a variety of perspectives and empathy to her clinical work with first responders.

Captain Bill Walsh leads the Operations Division of the Voorhees Police Department, which includes patrol and detectives. He is a National Institute of Justice LEADS Scholar and holds a master’s degree in administrative science. He has collaborated with several universities to develop, evaluate, and enhance initiatives and training programs. In 2019, Bill was recognized by the IACP as a 40 Under 40 awardee for his work in officer health and wellness and community engagement. He has presented at numerous conferences on wellness topics, early intervention systems, field training, police transparency, 21st century policing, and community police academies. Bill has been published on early intervention systems, cultural diversity in criminal justice, and both community and law enforcement mental health programming. Bill is a subject matter expert for the National Policing Institute, the IACP, and the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center. Bill serves on the National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Officer Suicides. He is currently working towards a second master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.