Phoenix City Share Before The Badge: Erika Johnson, Licensed Therapist

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

February 16, 2021

Detective Erika Johnson has long had a passion for helping people. That led her to a career in law enforcement. But before that, it put her on a path to become a licensed therapist.

"I would just be around people that seemed to be in need," Det. Johnson said. "Like mostly just to talk to someone. Figure out life. Figure out the tough stuff they're going through.

"She wasn't quite sure the route her career would take, but she started with an undergraduate degree in religious studies and a thematic minor in education. She then began a master's degree in counseling. But before she finished that master's, she turned to a career in law enforcement. Which was not exactly a surprise to those who knew her.

"My dad was a Phoenix Police officer," Det. Johnson explained. "Every 'take your daughter to work day', I would go with him. So he made it fun and exciting.

"Her dad was a school resource officer with Phoenix, and she grew up seeing the positive impact he had on kids. So, after the academy, and some time working patrol, she, too, found herself as a school resource officer. This is where she started really seeing the connection between her job as an officer and her passion to help people with their mental health.

"Realizing that I'm spending more time just talking to kids and giving them advice and different things like that, that's what pushed me to say 'oh I need to go ahead and finish what I started,'" the detective said.

So, she went back to school to finish her master's degree in counseling. She also became certified as a crisis intervention team officer. These are officers who have chosen to complete behavioral health training, and are willing to be sent on calls for mental health issues. Which, Det. Johnson said, is a high percentage of the calls police receive.

"From a traffic stop to a really high intensity scene where people are in crisis or there's multiple family members involved, it really is extremely beneficial in just kind of wrapping it all together," Det. Johnson said of her training. "It's basically learning how to talk to someone.

"Once done with her master's degree, she joined a private practice as a licensed therapist where she works with people primarily experiencing depression and anxiety. That is in addition to keeping up her full time job as a crisis intervention detective. She said not a day goes by that she does not see how that passion and budding career before the badge now motivates and informs her as an officer today.

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.