WeNeverWalkAlone 5.5

Sworn Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) routinely face significant stress and trauma inherent in their duties. Like anyone, they are also vulnerable to personal issues that may affect their performance at work.

The Des Plaines Police Department has taken a proactive approach to address these challenges by connecting LEOs with Peer Support Officers and qualified mental health professionals nationwide. The vision behind this initiative is to create a central hub where officers can access a range of treatment options, educational resources, and opportunities for real-time interaction with peers and advisors, as well as share personal experiences and access valuable lifestyle information.

The Peer Support Group serves as an initial resource for officers seeking guidance and counseling from trusted peers in a non-judgmental environment. Those who choose to engage with Peer Support Officers often experience profound benefits. However, the program is frequently underutilized due to concerns about confidentiality and the potential for rumors within the department, which can deter officers from seeking help.

To mitigate these issues and address the "beauty-shop mentality" often found in law enforcement settings, WeNeverWalkAlone™ facilitates connections between Peer Support Groups nationwide. This online portal enhances anonymity, allowing officers to reach out to Peer Support Personnel (PSP) from any location and at any time, empowering them to take control of their mental health journey.

Additionally, the WeNeverWalkAlone™ portal offers a comprehensive directory of mental health professionals and an array of resources specifically curated for the Law Enforcement community.

• Each officer is provided with individual sign-in credentials to access available resources.
• The service maintains 100% anonymity, ensuring that no records are kept of individual logins or interactions with Peer Support personnel.
• While usage cannot be quantified due to anonymity, it is up to department chiefs to inquire about engagement with their Peer Support Groups.
• Participating departments are required to contribute 7% to 10% of their personnel to the pool of trained Peer Support Officers.

The featuring partners of this initiative include Badge of Life™, a recognized leader in mental health and suicide prevention training for LEOs, alongside Ms. Vickie Poklop MS, LPC from Des Plaines PD, IL. Together they ensure that all listed mental health professionals have relevant experience working closely with law enforcement officers and remain committed to serving the community at all times.

The portal provides access to a wealth of articles, research papers, treatment options, and other materials that address the holistic wellbeing of Law Enforcement Officers on various topics such as:

• Family-focused counseling
• Couples and marriage counseling
• Childhood needs and parenting tips
• Various therapy modalities including EMDR, talk therapy, Reiki, hypnosis, exposure therapy, substance abuse assistance, etc.
• Identifying work-related stress triggers
• Accessing supplemental non-traditional resources
• Interactive blogs

This pioneering effort represents a first-of-its-kind model in the nation, setting a standard for future initiatives. It emphasizes modernity, engagement, relevance, user-friendliness, and efficiency in addressing the complex needs of law enforcement personnel.