BUILDING & MAINTAINING A PEER SUPPORT TEAM
By Corporal Kenneth Hardesty , Peer Support Team Coordinator , Davis Police Department Dr . David Black , Chief Psychologist , Cordico
Agency endorsed Peer Support and Critical Incident Stress Management Teams are often overlooked until tragedy necessitates their existence and utilization . As a law enforcement leader , ask yourself if your agency is being as proactive as necessary in health , wellness , and response to tragedy ? One such tragedy befell the Davis Police Department in the early portion of this year . A very young rising star , barely embarking upon her career , was assassinated while assisting motorists with a minor collision . When this occurred , our Peer Support Team was relatively new , having been formed and written into policy less than two years prior . Despite the infancy of our team , we were able to function as a cohesive unit , assisting , counseling , and guiding the agency , and its members , on the road to recovery . This was facilitated both by administrative support for our mission , and the drive and integrity of the department members who volunteered for the arduous task of becoming a Department Peer .
It is a well-known fact that first responders are exposed to high levels of stress , trauma , and risk for depression , anxiety , divorce , alcoholism , and negative health outcomes . I was recently told by a credible professional that a career as a first responder may reduce life expectancy by as much as seven to ten years . Peer Support can help remedy this problem .
In 2017 , I had the honor of assisting with the implementation and personnel selection for a Peer Support Team to serve our agency . This undertaking established a new collateral unit and thus filled a void in our agency . Having spent the bulk of the last twenty years in a large , metropolitan agency , I was appreciative of the level of autonomy granted by the administration . Embarking upon this responsibility , I quickly learned a few key components necessary to establish an effective Peer Support Program .
Personnel Selection
The most crucial component to a successful team is personnel selection . Individuals considered for such an assignment should be volunteers who are willing to sacrifice their personal time when the need arises . Personnel must be trustworthy and fully committed to maintaining confidentiality , absent a policy or law violation . A team that lacks credibility simply will not be utilized by agency personnel . We found great success selecting participants from a cross section of the agency and providing quality training recognized by California POST .
28 California Police Chief | www . californiapolicechiefs . org