Peer Support
As violence and hostility rise in the United States, law enforcement officers are forced into an increasing number of critical incidents, such as officer involved shootings, line of duty deaths and active shooter situations.
One area that is often overlooked is the mental well being of police officers. In recent years, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and suicide have become common concepts for military, but most people are unfamiliar with the same issues in America’s law enforcement officers.
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has taken a proactive stance towards these issue and in 2009 began utilizing the Peer Support program to assist personnel with stress created in their personal and/ or professional lives so they can continue to be productive members of the agency.
The Peer Support Program is a voluntary and confidential program. Peer Support consists of employees representing our Custody Division, Operations and Support Services. The program is supported by sixteen members, two chaplains and three counselors.
The members are trained in peer support to help personnel with Critical Incident Stress Management in times of crisis. One role of the team is to conduct debriefings with affected staff after a critical incidents.
The purpose of a defusing is for the officers to begin processing their emotions by discussing
the event. Debriefings should occur within
24-72 hours after the event as they continue the
progression of processing emotions. Debriefing
allow employees to discuss the situation and
their thoughts, feelings, and emotions with
others who have been through similar events.
Debriefings also provide an opportunity for
education on physical and psychological issues
they might experience.
One of the important dynamics of a Peer Support program is its versatility of employees, counselors and the Sierra Law Enforcement Chaplaincy. Peer Support is comprised of all positions and a resource for any employee who needs support.
Crisis Intervention Team
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The Sheriff’s Office Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is comprised of twelve deputies and three Sergeants, under the direction of one Lieutenant and one Captain. In 2017, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office detained 507 persons for mental health evaluations.
The CIT deputies balance an ongoing CIT caseload, along with their regularly assigned duties within the Sheriff’s Office. All reports taken of someone in crisis are reviewed by a CIT sergeant and a specific disposition for each case is determined according to the need of the individual. Cases may be assigned to a CIT deputy who will contact the individual and link them to resources and services.
Resources were prepared through a combined effort with County Mental Health, EDSO CIT Sergeants, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
A large part of the CIT program is collaboration
with several other departments and agencies in
El Dorado County. The Multi-Disciplinary Team
meets monthly and discusses the needs and
issues facing mentally ill persons in our community.
Some members of the Team are County Mental
Health, EDSO Patrol and Corrections, Placerville
Police Department, South Lake Tahoe Police
Department, Public Guardian, California
Highway Patrol, Adult Protective Services, NAMI,
Local Hospital Representatives and County
Probation.
The duties of the Team are to evaluate the needs of mentally ill individuals, develop solutions and strengthen working relationships between participating agencies toward a goal of providing better services to these persons in our community.