by California Casualty | Peace Officers |
The Aurora Police Department is receiving wide-spread and well-deserved praise for their response to the Aurora Theatre Shooting tragedy.
On July 20, 2012, they responded as professionals first. But underneath that professional, peace officer exterior is a human being. A human being who cannot help but be impacted by the gruesome scene that morning.
Aurora Police Division Chief Kevin Flynn at an Aurora Memorial (Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
Survivor Harmony Johnson said it best: “True heroes do come with badges, not with capes.”
To get a Police Officer perspective on responding to and healing from the Aurora tragedy, I turned to John Marx, the amazing Founder of Cops Alive. Cops Alive is an incredible resource for LEOs, with invaluable resources for ‘surviving the job.’ John Marx was gracious enough to share the following with us:
Critical Incident Support for Law Enforcement Officers
by John Marx of CopsAlive.com
Recent events remind us that there are many unexpected situations that will take a toll on the officers and other law enforcement professionals working within your agency.
If you haven’t created a Peer Support System, now is the time to do so. If you already have a Peer Support Program, now is a good time to examine how well you would have been able to support your staff if you have a mass causality incident like the one in Aurora Colorado on July 20, 2012.
At The Law Enforcement Survival Institute and CopsAlive.com, we highly recommend that agencies assess their capabilities to support their staff, both during critical incidents as well as, for the every day caustic rigors of working in law enforcement.
As part of our Armor Your Self™ and Armor Your Agency™ training programs we recommend having numerous systems of support in place, one of the most important of which is a Peer Support Team.
We are very impressed with the work of police psychologist Jack Digliani, Ph.D., Ed.D.. We highly recommend his book as well as his training and the implementation of his Police & Sheriff Peer Support Team concept.
Dr. Digliani is a psychologist and a former deputy sheriff, police officer, and detective. He served as staff psychologist and peer support team clinical supervisor of the Fort Collins, Colorado Police Services for the last 11 years of his police career. He is the author of Reflections of a Police Psychologist and provides training on creating peer support teams for police and sheriff’s agencies. You can learn more about him, his book and his training program, as well as download a free copy of Jack’s “Police & Sheriff Peer Support Team Manual” at: https://www.copsalive.com/digliani/
Here are some of Dr. Digliani’s thoughts about the peer support concept, how it supports officers involved in shootings, and how it can assist in the recovery following a traumatic incident.
Overview
The peer support team is part of each agency’s comprehensive response to an officer- involved incident and is comprised of the agency psychologist and officers trained as peer counselors. The team strives to minimize trauma to the officer and his/her family by assisting them throughout the investigative and return to duty process. Effective intervention will result in the officer returning to duty as soon as possible and continuing to be a productive member of the agency.
Mission
The peer support mission is to provide the officer and family members with emotional support, stress management, and education. In addition, help with trauma recovery, coping strategies to deal with the investigative process as it unfolds, issues surrounding the officer’s response to colleagues and the media and the facilitation of the officer’s return to duty. All interactions with the peer support psychologist are confidential and protected by the privileged communication statute.
Responsibilities
Peer Support serves a supportive rather than investigative or advocacy functions and does not interfere with the investigative process or elicit any details of the incident.
How to Recover from Traumatic Stress
1. Accept your emotions as normal and part of the recovery/survival process.
2. Talk about the event and your feelings.
3. Accept that you may have experienced fear and confronted your vulnerability.
4. Use your fear or anxiousness as a cue to utilize your officer safety skills.
5. Realize that your survival instinct was an asset at the time of the incident and that it remains intact to assist you again if needed.
6. Accept that you cannot always control events, but you can control your response.
7. If you are troubled by a perceived lack of control, focus on the fact that you had some control during the event. You used your strength to respond in a certain way.
8. Do not second-guess your actions. Evaluate your actions based on your perceptions at the time of the event, not afterwards.
9. Understand that your actions were based on the need to make a critical decision for action. The decision likely had to be made within seconds.
10. Accept that your behavior was appropriate to your perceptions and feelings at the time of the incident. Accept that no one is perfect. You may like/dislike some actions.
11. Focus on the things you did that you feel good about. Positive outcomes are often produced by less than perfect actions.
12. Do not take personally the response of the system. Keep the needs of the various systems (DA’s office, administrative investigation, the press, etc) in perspective.
Remember, the event most likely happened because you are a police officer and not because of who you are as a person.
Positive Recovery – keep in mind that you are naturally resilient
1. You will accept what happened. You will accept any experience of fear and any feelings of vulnerability as part of being human. Vulnerability is not helplessness.
2. You will accept that no one can control everything. You will focus on your behaviors and the appropriate application of authority. You will keep a positive perspective.
3. You will learn and grow from the experience. You will be able to assess all future circumstances on their own merits. You will become stronger and smarter.
4. You will include survivorship into your life perspective. You may re-evaluate life’s goals, priorities, and meaning. You will gain wisdom that can come from survivorship.
5. You will be aware of changes in yourself that may contribute to problems at home, work, and other environments. You will work to overcome these problems.
6. You will increase the intimacy of your actions and communications to those you love. You will remain open to the feedback of those who love you.
Getting Help
No one can work through the aftermath of a traumatic incident for you, but you do not have to go it alone. Keep an open mind. Allow your family, friends, and peers to help. Seek professional assistance if you get stuck, if you do not “feel like yourself” or if your friends or family notice dysfunctional emotional responses or behavior. Do not ignore those who care about you. Stay connected to your loved ones.
This article adapts and includes information from the Colorado Law Enforcement Academy Handbook and Reflections of a Police Psychologist (Digliani, J.A., 2010) reprinted with permission.
Please remember that by the nature of our work in law enforcement we will always be called upon to respond to some of the worst and most horrific situations on the planet and that we have volunteered to do so based upon our character, our strengths, our training and our resolve. We cannot ever prepare ourselves fully for what we must face so we must constantly work to increase or resiliency and when we are faced with the worst of the world we must be prepared to accept assistance to ensure that we are able to fully recover and return to our positions of service.
CopsAlive.com and The Law Enforcement Survival Institute offer the Armor Your Self™ training programs to help officer’s survive the toxicity of their careers as well as Armor Your Agency™ programs to help agencies create systems to support their officers and staff.
The Eight Modules of The Armor Your Self™ Program:
1. The “Hidden Dangers” of Law Enforcement and Threat Assessment
2. Armor Your Self™ A New Strategy
3. Armor Your Self™ Physically
4. Armor Your Self™ Mentally
5. Armor Your Self™ Emotionally
6. Armor Your Self™ Spiritually
7. Armor Your Agency™
8. Action Planning for Career Survival
Critical Strategies Discussed in the Armor Your Agency™ Program
1. Mentoring Programs
2. Peer Support
3. Chaplain’s Program
4. Family Support Network
5. Psychological Services
6. Resilience Training & Education
7. Critical Incident Support System
8. Agency Orientation
9. Survivor Support
10. Medical and Wellness Services & Education
CLICK HERE to learn more about Armor Your Self™ Program
CLICK HERE to learn more about Armor Your Agency™ Program
CLICK HERE to read more about or contact The Law Enforcement Survival Institute
CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers. We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence. We will help your agency create the kind of place that supports and protects officers so that they can do their jobs better, safer, longer and survive to tell their grand kids all about it. We think the best strategy is for every officer to create a tactical plan for his or her life and career. We call this Tactical Wellness planning.
The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) works with individuals and organizations to help them create and sustain success in their lives and careers as law enforcement professionals. It is the primary goal of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to become the preeminent source for training, resources and information about how to create and sustain a happy, healthy and successful life and career while providing superior law enforcement service to your community.
John Marx, Founder of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute and the Editor of CopsAlive.com. Connect with him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Our sincere Thanks to John Marx for sharing his immense insight and resources with us for this post.
by California Casualty | Firefighters |
With 58 injured survivors and 12 fatalities, the Paramedics who responded to the Aurora theatre on July 20, 2012 were dealt a chaotic scene. The professional job in front of them was immense, to say nothing of how they must have been feeling on a personal level.
(Photo: Karl Gehring/The Denver Post )
To get some perspective on what an event such as this is like for a Paramedic, I headed to our Top Fire & EMT Blog: Rescuing Providence. Rescuing Providence is run by Captain Morse, is a Rescue Captain in Providence.
On his site site, Captain Morse has posted his thoughts and responses to Aurora, speaking as an EMT. I’ve included a few particularly poignant excerpts here, but head to Rescuing Providence to read the text in full.
When sorting through the bodies, and separating the living from the dead, then prioritizing those who survived, and those who probably will not, focus is key. Having a job to do, one that years of training and experience has prepared you for makes the images and sounds manageable, work to be done, wounds to heal, lives to save.
Moments such as those in Aurora, Colorado will never happened to the vast majority of people. These are isolated incidents, pockets of madness that crept up on some other people. But those people do exist, and they are no different from you or I, had no warning, have no answers and will live the rest of their lives flashing back to those pivotal moments.
Now that the shooting is over, and the healing begins, people will look to the police, medics, nurses, doctors and firefighters who responded to the scene for direction. How we act, and how we cope, and how we get on with our lives is of vital importance to those poor souls drowning in an ocean of grief.
There is always more work to do.
To read Captain Morse’s post in full, click here.
Our sincere Thanks to Captain Morse for allowing us to reproduce parts of his post in this blog posting.
by California Casualty | Nurses |
Transporting the injured from the scene in Aurora was just the first step.
From there, they were received by the caring arms of the Nurses and medical staff in various Denver hospitals.
That early morning, survivors began the long and hard journey towards recovery.
And standing beside them are Nurses. Nurses who see first-hand the physical pain of survivors and the emotional pain of survivors, their families and their friends.
Nurses, too, must process their own grief as they struggle to understand this tragedy and support those whose survival is now in their hands.
Eric Young, Jr., a second baseman and outfielder for the Colorado Rockies who recently visited survivors in the hospital, said it best:
To hear more about tragic events such as Aurora from a Nursing perspective, I headed to Nurse Keith Carlson’s Nursing blog Digital Doorway.
Nurse Keith has written a beautiful post entitled “Of Tragedy, Heroism and Recovery.” While you’ll have to click on the link to see all of his thoughts and reflections, I thought I’d highlight some of his strongest statements here.
When events like this occur in our midst, we frequently do not consider the impact that it has on the first responders who initially respond to such traumatic events, as well as the hospital staff, surgeons and nurses who deal with the (often prolonged and painful) aftermath.
Since I’m a nurse who coaches and advises nurses on self care, burnout prevention and overall health and wellness, I’d like to take a moment to consider how nurses and their healthcare colleagues themselves react to such traumatic events, especially when standing on the front lines.
In the case of the Aurora massacre, one can only imagine what might be going through the minds of the nurses and other staff members of the hospitals on the receiving end of the racing ambulances. Were their friends and neighbors among the dead or injured? Would a colleague be one of the critical patients rushed from the scene in need of life-saving assistance? How would it feel to see a favorite teacher or local barista bloodied and fighting for her life as the sirens announced their arrival through the emergency department doors?
The ripple of trauma is wide in a scenario such as Aurora, and we hope that the paramedics, nurses, surgeons and others who treated—and are still treating—the injured are taking care of themselves even as they care for those in need of their professional skills and expertise.
Those frontline medical personnel need to remember to hydrate well, eat nutritious food, take time for self care, practice good sleep hygiene, and spend time away from work where the stresses of this traumatic event can be briefly set aside. For those who are prone to give until it hurts—and then give some more—it’s a high priority to get away, debrief with friends, family and colleagues, and allow the nervous system to recalibrate.
My sincere thanks to Nurse Keith for allowing me to discuss his tips and insights in this blog post.
by California Casualty | Firefighters |
Happy Monday, everyone!
Our firefighters have been on our minds a lot lately.
We have been keeping close track of the multiple wildfires burning across the country (this blog post is about our Service Center in Colorado Springs, near the Waldo Canyon Fire).
The Fourth of July is also coming up!
For most of us, this is a fun day with family and friends. BBQ. Fireworks. Stars and Stripes.
But for our Firefighters and EMTs, the 4th of July is one of the busiest days of the year. So be sure to keep them in mind while celebrating, and celebrate safely so you don’t need their assistance!
(We will cut our safety speech a little short. But keep an eye on the blog in the next few days for firework and safety tips.)
Anywayssss…
Speaking of Firefighters, today we have our LAST TOP FIRE & EMT Blog.
Can you believe it? Our first Battle of the Blogs is almost over. (Voting ends July 8!)
But we’re wrapping it up on a great note with a GREAT Fire & EMT Blog…
Firefighter/Paramedic Stories.
If you are looking for excellent day-to-day stories about the life and experiences of a Firefighter and Paramedic: this is the blog for you.
It’s authored by a Firefighter Paramedic, a blogger named FireMedic.
In his blog, FireMedic takes you along with him. Introduces you to his patients. Shows you the character of his coworkers. Brings you into the fire. Describes the humor, the crazy, and the heartbreak that goes into this job.
So we caught up with the FireMedic himself and got the behind-the-scenes scoop on the blog…
So, FireMedic, how would you describe Firefighter/Paramedic Stories? For the most part it’s a glimpse into the life of a firefighter/paramedic.
What is the focus or mission of your blog? It covers calls, station life, training, a little bit of my personal life and the occasional rant.
Why did you start it? My wife actually started it while I was in paramedic school as a way to share my experiences with close friends and family.
How long have you been writing here? My blog just had its 7th birthday.
Do you have a favorite thing to write about? I love writing about fires. While everyone may one day come across a medical emergency very few people get to run into a burning building. I like to share that.
How would you describe your blog ‘community’ … There’s a lot of fire and EMS bloggers out there. Some of them put a lot more time in then I do. Their dedication amazes me. Happy medic and Statter 911 are two of my favorites.
What has been your best experience as a blogger? I love getting comments from people. It’s great to be able to connect with random people from all over the globe and to answer question that they have.
What have you learned? Even though my blog is anonymous, there have been some people with whom I work that have figured out who I am. Some of them are not too happy that I have a blog. I guess I’ve learned the importance of being discreet.
Any stories you’d like to share? New ones all the time, come back and read them.
(He’s telling the truth. FireMedic is a frequent blogger, always with good stories to tell)
If you win Battle of the Blogs, to which charity will you donate your $200 winnings and why? Toys for Tots. Every kid deserves something to smile about.
Where else can we find ya on the web? On Facebook and Twitter.
Want to read some of FireMedic’s stories? Check out Firefighter/Paramedic Stories here. To vote for your favorite FIRE & EMT Blog, click here!
by California Casualty | Peace Officers |
Woo hooo, it’s FRIDAY!
That means the start of another weekend is just a mere half-work-day away.
Today, we are veryyy excited to profile another TOP Law Enforcement Blog! It is a little different than our other LE blogs, and that’s precisely why we like it.
Today’s TOP LE BLOG is…
Things Worth Believing In.
Things Worth Believing In is a blog run and authored by tgace, a Police Lieutenant in Narcotics/SWAT.
Tgace’s main content and postings are slightly different than our other LEO bloggers. He focuses less on the day-to-day and more on the big picture. He discusses news events in the LE world (and supports his views with examples and videos).
But tgace also spends a lot of time talking about Warriorship. Now, my knowledge of warriorship is limited to what I’ve read on the blog.
But tgace describes ‘warriors’ like this: ‘I have come to be of the opinion that a true “Warrior” is someone who goes out into the world and engages in some sort of activity that serves someone other than himself. ”
Sure sounds like an LEO to me.
Things Worth Believing In is not your average LEO blog. And that’s why we love it. So check it out, read a little bit about warriorship, and keep up with some LE current events.
Want to know more about tgace and his blog’s origins? Here’s our Q&A:
How would you describe Things Worth Believing In? My blog is sort of a digital “blank book” that I use to record thoughts and ideas that relate to some of my specific interests: law enforcement, martial arts, firearms skills and martial/warrior philosophy.
What is the focus or mission of Things Worth Believing In? The main focus of my blog is to discuss the many topics, skills, and ideas that make up the way of living people have defined as “warriorship.” A mindset that I believe, if processed correctly and placed in the proper social context, can produce police officers with a developed sense of service, honor and personal integrity; but if misconceived, can result in arrogance and a mindset of conflict with the people they are supposed to serve.
When did you start it? Late 2008. This is my first serious blog attempt.
Why? I started my blog as an effort to define my idea of what “warriorship” is and how it relates (if at all) to the mindset/mentality of the modern American Police Officer.
What are your favorite or least favorite topics to write about? My interests have fluctuated over the years. I currently enjoy writing about firearms and martial philosophy but tend to avoid overly political topics that tend to breed resentment and job related problems.
How would you describe your blog ‘community’? To be honest, there are not many LEOs blogging on the topic I am interested in. Many tend to focus on personal “war stories” and street encounters, or discuss departmental politics and focused LE related topics such as active shooter response or combating the threat of terrorism.
What has been your best experience as a blogger? I have met and exchanged ideas with other American police officers and I have been sent a few products by companies for product evaluations, which was unexpected but enjoyable.
What have you learned? Not to take myself too seriously. Putting your ideas/thoughts out for public examination better come with a thick skin.
Any stories you’d like to share? I recently had a humorous exchange with a commenter on a “knife law” post. He struck me as an “anti” type and obviously didn’t read beyond the single post. His reaction when he realized I was an LEO was kind of funny.
If you win Battle of the Blogs, to which charity will you donate your $200 winnings and why? I would donate any money to “The Wounded Warrior Project.” As a military veteran, I don’t believe there is any higher obligation we have as Americans than to take care of the men and women who risk all they have for us.
Where else can we keep up with you on the web? Facebook.
Want to read some of tgace’s posts? Click here! Ready to vote for your favorite law enforcement blog? Click here!
