Mental health is becoming more and more of a priority, especially for the officers at the Casper Police Department (CPD).
"What can we do to support our officers to keep them in the profession and be healthy at the same time?" asked CPD's Public Information Officer, Rebekah Ladd.
Ladd said the department is fortunate that the city has great mechanisms in place to support both mental and physical health. However, in the law enforcement profession, officers and staff face unique challenges.
"When our officers are seeing devastating situations, they're not done with it when the call is over," she said. "It comes home with them, it lingers with them, in the same way that your average citizen may experience a crisis and it stays with you for years, our officers experience that on a daily basis."
The department has applied for a grant through the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program, which started in 2018, to help support officers and their families.
Nationally, the average person experiences 2 - 3 critical incidents in their entire lifetime, while a police officer experiences well over 100 during their career.
"Very rarely do we ever meet people on their best day. We typically meet them in their worst hour and we see things that the general public normally doesn't see or shouldn't see," Officer Zach Gonzales said. "So in order for us to operate on all levels, seeking help is absolutely, vitally important for us to sustain that meaningful career."
Ladd explained, if awarded, the $250,000 grant would provide funding over a 24-month period allowing the department to support officers, their families, and the community they serve.
"It'll bring in additional services like confidential counseling, family learning sessions where we can teach our families how to grow in their resilience," she said. "It's always important to build up the resilience of a law enforcement agency before a serious crisis happens."
Republished with permission from Wyoming News Now, a TV news outlet covering the Cheyenne and Casper areas.
