In public safety, leaders are trained to watch for threats on the street, at a fire scene, or during a call gone sideways. What often receives less attention is the quieter risk that shows up inside the organization: changes in personnel behavior that signal something deeper may be wrong.
That challenge is the focus of one of Lexipol’s Connect 2025 sessions, “5 Warning Signs in Personnel Behavior,” featuring Dr. Jaime Brower, vice president of peer support and clinician training and membership at Lexipol. Drawing from decades of experience working with law enforcement, fire, corrections, and military professionals, Brower emphasizes that many adverse outcomes do not come out of nowhere. They build over time, leaving clues along the way.
Make “Something Feels Off” Your Business
Public safety organizations can no longer afford to ignore early warning signs in personnel behavior. Many leaders and peers notice changes and explain them away as someone “just being themselves,” having a bad week, or dealing with personal issues outside the scope of work.
“Today, I am going to encourage all of you to make it your business,” Brower says. “I’m definitely a firm believer that … identification and action are everyone’s responsibility.”
She connects that responsibility to real-world consequences. In today’s complex media and political environment, a single person’s behavior can affect an entire agency’s credibility and reputation. Also, a person’s mental health rarely collapses overnight. Instead, it erodes gradually, influencing judgment, impulse control, and decision-making long before a crisis becomes public.
“This session is really … not about diagnosing people, or labels,” Brower says. “It really is about behavioral health warning signs that ultimately impact safety, performance, and judgment.”
Warning Signs Are About Change, Not Personality
Brower repeatedly stresses that leaders should not react to isolated incidents or personality traits, but to changes from an individual’s normal baseline.
“There are some people who are just naturally introverted,” she says. “It doesn’t mean that there’s something horrifically wrong with them.” The real concern is when leaders notice a person’s behavior deviating from the baseline, such as pulling back from coworkers or failing to return calls when they normally would.
Withdrawal and isolation are often the first visible indicators that someone is in crisis. Changes in mood or personality often follow closely behind and are the second warning sign Brower identifies. She describes individuals whose humor becomes darker, whose tolerance shrinks or whose engagement fades after years of being reliable contributors.
It all comes down to familiarity. Leaders must know their people well enough to recognize when behavior is out of character, not simply inconvenient.
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Performance Problems May Signal Health Problems
The third warning sign is declining job performance. In this arena, Brower cautions leaders against defaulting to discipline without first asking questions. Missed deadlines, increased sick leave, careless mistakes, and poor decision-making can all reflect underlying struggles rather than willful misconduct.
Brower shares a case involving a long-tenured employee whose performance deteriorated over time. Supervisors noticed disorganization, missed court dates, and regular absenteeism. Instead of having a private conversation, the agency referred the employee for a fitness-for-duty examination.
After meeting with the employee, Brower quickly recognized something else at play.
“And the more we talked, in my head I’m thinking, this feels medical,” she says.
The individual was ultimately diagnosed with late-onset Type 2 diabetes, a condition that can mimic behavioral and cognitive decline. Without intervention, it could have been life-threatening.
“Late onset diabetes can basically masquerade as behavioral or performance problems,” Brower explains.
Her message to leaders is clear: Not every issue is disciplinary, and assuming it is can delay care, increase liability, and worsen outcomes for everyone involved.
Physical Health and Mental Health Are Linked
Another warning sign leaders often overlook is physical decline. Changes in sleep, weight, appearance, or energy can be early indicators of deeper problems. Brower encourages leaders to address what they see directly and honestly.
“Look. I gotta be honest. You look wiped out,” she says. “What’s happening? Are you doing okay? Tell me about it.”
Mental and physical health frequently overlap, and symptoms can look similar. What appears to be emotional exhaustion may be rooted in untreated medical conditions such as sleep apnea, chronic fatigue, or cumulative stress. Leaders who avoid these conversations risk missing opportunities for early support.
Risky Behavior Is a Warning, Not a Moral Failure
The fifth warning sign, increased self-destructive or risky behavior, often carries stigma. After all, a person chooses to act that way, right? Setting aside this interpretation, Brower reframes it as another signal someone may be experiencing a personal crisis.
“It’s not a moral failure,” she says. “It really is a warning sign that someone’s struggling, and we need to figure out how to connect them with some help.”
Excessive drinking, reckless decisions, or risky relationships can serve as attempts to numb stress or generate dopamine in people who feel depleted. In adrenaline-driven professions, distinguishing normal risk tolerance from dangerous escalation requires attention and familiarity.
Curiosity First, Escalation When Needed
Across all five warning signs, Brower returns to a consistent approach: Notice, ask and listen. The first step is a private, specific, and nonjudgmental conversation grounded in observed behavior. If you observe something is off, then describe it to them, ask, and then listen and engage.
Brower encourages leaders to remain curious, not accusatory. “Judgment’s a cue, not a conclusion,” she says. When concerns persist or escalate, leaders should involve peer support teams, trusted clinicians, or informal leaders who may have stronger rapport. Formal escalation becomes necessary when safety or readiness is at risk, but only after genuine attempts at connection.
“Know your people. Stay connected. Give a crap.”
Culture Depends on What Leaders Notice
Prevention is not about programs alone. It is about people paying attention to people. “Know your people. Stay connected. Give a crap,” Brower says.
For public safety leaders, the takeaway is both simple and demanding. Warning signs are rarely subtle in hindsight. The challenge is recognizing them early enough and caring enough to act before consequences ripple outward.
To explore more leadership insights, on-demand sessions and resources from Connect 2025, visit https://www.lexipolconnect.com/ and check out the full lineup of content designed to help agencies build stronger, more resilient leaders.
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