Officer Safety & Wellness Archives

Police Chief Magazine|Topics|Officer Safety & Wellness

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Elevating the Response to Violence

Differing approaches to addressing violence within a local community are sometimes seen as being in opposition, yet there is increasing recognition that working across sectors can be a more effective ...

Focus on Officer Wellness

Focus on Officer Wellness: Psychologists and Police Leadership Organizations

Relationships are everything. This axiom of business is well known, but there may not be another field outside of policing and public safety where it matters more. The emphasis on trust is critically ...

Officer Safety & Wellness

Nobody Fights Alone

Every day, police officers around the world encounter individuals in crisis. Unfortunately, some of these individuals are military veterans suffering from unique challenges associated with their servi...

Officer Safety & Wellness

Sustaining a Successful Wellness Program

While it has been well-established that support for officer safety and organizational wellness is crucial for the well-being of officers and their colleagues, agencies, families, and communities, ente...

Legal

Elderly person at table using laptop, yellow tulips in vase foreground, second person gesturing mid-discussion, both faces blurred for privacy.

The Perils of Neglecting Estate Planning

Policing is a dangerous profession.1 The mortality rate among officers is far higher than the U.S. population average, both on the job as well as outside of work and after retirement. In part, this is...

Mental Health

A person is sitting on a white couch with a golden retriever lying beside them. The person is wearing a black hoodie, gray sweatpants, and reflective sunglasses. The golden retriever appears relaxed with its head resting on the person's lap. There is another armchair to the left of the couch, and in the background, there are dark-colored cabinets with labels including one that reads "JUNK DRAWER." A blue blanket or sheet is partially visible at the bottom of the image.

Fight or Flight in Overdrive

Across the landscape of police wellness, there is a critical missing piece when it comes to supporting those who serve and protect. The missing piece is this: Just as multiple head injuries cre...

Officer Safety & Wellness

The image shows several overlapping U.S. one hundred dollar bills arranged in a fan-like manner. Overlaid on the right side of the image is a transparent graphic of a financial chart with blue and red lines indicating stock market trends, along with various numerical data points and bar graphs. The background is dark, creating a contrast that highlights both the currency and the financial chart elements.

Developing Financially Well Officers

When it comes to overall wellness among police professionals, the focus is often on the obvious —mental, emotional, physical, and nutritional wellness, which are all core to one’s overall well-bei...

Officer Safety & Wellness

a man with short gray hair seated in the driver's seat of a car. He is wearing a dark-colored shirt and has his left hand on the steering wheel while his right hand is placed on the back of his neck, suggesting discomfort or pain. The interior of the car is visible, including the headrest of the passenger seat and part of the dashboard. The background outside the car shows blurred greenery and structures, indicating that it might be parked near a residential area or similar environment. The man's face is visible, showing a neutral expression.

Unseen Injuries

When an officer is involved in a shooting or another serious use-of-force incident, they are often sent for a fitness for duty exam (FFDE) prior to returning to work. If an officer is engaging in high...

Officer Safety Corner