Former Oshkosh police sergeant hopes award can better spotlight mental health struggles in law enforcement
Bremen Keasey
OSHKOSH – A retired Oshkosh police officer who received an honor for his service hopes his story will help fellow officers who are struggling with mental health issues.
Sgt. Ian Seaholm received the National Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Purple Heart on Monday at U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson's Oshkosh office.
The National Association of Chiefs of Police, a nonprofit that often helps provide officers and their families resources for officers severely injured in the line of duty, awards its Law Enforcement Purple Heart to officers who "are injured or disabled in the line of duty" and have to seek professional medical attention.
Seaholm served with the Oshkosh Police Department from 2007 to 2020, before multiple mental health issues sidelined him from work. He said the award is meaningful not just to him but also to the entire law enforcement community because it shows mental injuries can be just as tough to deal with as physical ones.
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"I think it's a step forward in recognizing mental health injuries in law enforcement as just as relevant as physical injuries," Seaholm said. "Law enforcement has made great strides in acknowledging that the job does take a toll on you mentally, and sometimes it becomes too much."
Seaholm served in a variety of roles, including as a school resource officer, a second shift patrol officer and a hostage negotiator.
Shortly after he was promoted to sergeant in 2019, Seaholm said he started to struggle with severe anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and major depression which were exacerbated by his work in law enforcement. He began treatment with a psychiatrist and therapist and also spent time at Rogers Behavioral Health in Appleton because his condition was so debilitating.
Seaholm said his struggles deeply affected his family, but they and Oshkosh police supported him through the dark times, which was crucial in his road to recovery.
"That was key to have that support network during the crisis and especially after because it's chronic," he said. "It's something you have to deal with for the rest of your life."
Seaholm said stabilizing his mental health was a two year process, but his ongoing struggles mean he won't be able to return as a law enforcement officer. Still, he tells others — especially other officers who are struggling — that there is help out there even if it might take a long time to get better.
"It's not a quick fix," Seaholm said. "It's going to take hard work, but it's OK to accept help."
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Contact Bremen Keasey at 920-570-5614 or bkeasey@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Keasinho.