New Practical Prevention Tips

For the fall quarter of 2011, our Practical Prevention Tips focus on the strong correlation between alcohol abuse and domestic violence. A tragic note about this correlation shows that officers who are risky/hazardous drinkers are nine times more likely to use violence at home.

This set of tips provides strategies for working with officers already employed, collaborating with community experts, and pre-screening for new hires.  Included in this set of tips is a copy of the World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Any officer is free to take this privately.

All of the Practical Prevention Tips can be located here.

 

Intimate Partner Homicide Prevention

We apologize for the delay in postings, it just seems, we’ve all been running in a million different directions lately.

We recently came across a new link that provides you with a ton of valuable information on preventing intimate partner homicides. Some of the resources available here include national and state statistics, safety planning resources and tools, sample fatality review reports, and opportunities for prevention.

Please take 5 or 10 minutes to read through this and help pass it along to your colleagues.

 

Special Collection: Intimate Partner Homicide Prevention

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

In law enforcement, officers must be ready for anything at any time. Many times a tragic situation presents itself with no warning. Attention to detail could decide the fate of whether someone survives or not.  Law enforcement officers are exposed to traumatic events on a consistent basis throughout their career. This vigilance can carry over when an officer is off-duty, when a distinct noise triggers something from a past experience. Due to the nature of their work, officers are highly susceptible to suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Unfortunately, the toughness that enables law enforcement personnel to capably perform their duties is often the same trait that hinders them from seeking professional help. PTSD not only impacts those the front line, but also dispatchers and receptionists. These individuals continually deal with traumatized victims or officers who are in need of assistance, and must often make time-pressured life or death decisions as well.

Please take a moment to review the PTSD training below not only to help yourself prepare for the unavoidable incidents that you may encounter, but also to learn about how a co-worker may be dealing with a traumatic experience right now and how you can help.

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PTSD Training

Suicide Prevention

Recently, the organization Survivors of Law Enforcement Suicide contacted us and ask us to share these crucial resources. As mentioned in several earlier posts, we at the Law Enforcement Families Partnership, understand the stresses that come with being a criminal justice officer. Please review these resources and make them available to all officers.

Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention and Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council

National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention

In Harm’s Way: Law Enforcement Suicide Project

 

 

 

How Should Agencies Reduce Domestic Violence?

As part of the prevention curriculum, many officers elect to participate in the pre- and post-surveys. One of the open-ended questions in the surveys is:

If it were entirely up to you, what are the top three changes that your agency should make to reduce domestic violence in families of criminal justice officers?

Below is a document that provides answers to the above question from correctional officers in Florida. The responses were organized into several categories including: Education, Training, Stress, No Tolerance, Counseling/Support, Salary/Time off/Reduce Workload, Family Activities/Support, Don’t’ Know/NA, Positive Comments, Dismissal/Punishments, and Other.  No answers were omitted for any reason.

Responses were copied “as is” to maintain the original tone of the answer.

Responses from Correctional Officers

New Promotional Materials

Exciting News! The Verizon Foundation has partnered with the Law Enforcement Families Partnership and is helping to expand what it can provide officers in the state of Florida. Some of the recent things that we have produced as a result of this partnership includes pens, lanyards, and hand sanitizer spray bottles. If you are interested in receiving any of these please feel free to call or email Zachary Summerlin using the information below.

Zachary Summerlin

850.644.1715

zsummerlin@fsu.edu

Our Condolences

In recent weeks, criminal justice officers around the country have been victims of heinous crimes. Many have lost their lives. Everyone at the Law Enforcement Families Partnership wishes to express our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of these officers who have been tragically killed while serving in the line of duty.