“Blue H.E.L.P. provides families, friends, co-workers, and agencies the ability to find assistance when dealing with suicides within the first responder community,” explains Steven Hough, co-founder of Blue H.E.L.P.
The goal is two-fold: not only to recognize the most effective programs, but to share that information with others so that they may look at the potential benefits to their respective agency and drive the number of line-of-duty law enforcement deaths down to zero.
It has become abundantly clear that agencies must now become more proactive about providing the tools for officers to recognize, respond to, and recover from the harmful impact of their exposure to traumatic events.
Empathy in law enforcement is now a thing. But the word "empathy" is sometimes used in the law enforcement context somewhat incorrectly—or at least incompletely—and can have negative consequences for officers.
The Troy (NY) Police Department's Emotionally Distressed Persons Response Team (EDPRT)—and its weeklong training held at Hudson Valley Community College—helps officers deal with emotionally disturbed persons, suicidal subjects, people exhibiting irrational behavior, and individuals suffering from psychiatric crises.
In recent years, there has been a greater effort on the part of law enforcement agencies to address mental health and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention, but more remains to be done.
Being physically fit increases self-confidence, emotional wellness, and other aspects of your life.
The Minneapolis mayor and police chief have laid out plans for a $200,000 Mobile Mental Health Crisis Unit and a $500,000 Early Intervention System, which they say would be covered with $700,000 of grant money from the Pohlad Family Foundation.
New analytics software from SAS can alert supervisors when officers need help or are starting to exhibit behaviors that will get them and their agencies in trouble.
Fundamentally, resilience training is about "self care" and "buddy care" and is fortunately being de-stigmatized across American law enforcement.
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