Pacucci has seen steps in that direction. When he first brought Francesca, there were two or three law enforcement officers who walked. Now he brings his son, Andy, and he believes just passing the words about awareness has led to the bevy of honor guards leading the law enforcement remembrance and moving forward.
One of the law enforcement officers who has been through it all is Retired Local 199 State Delegate Ken Burkert, who lost a colleague more than 10 years ago. That led to his leading the formation of the NJ State PBA’ s Peer Liaison Committee in 2008. Burkert has handed the reins of that effort over to Ewing Township Local 111 State Delegate Mike Pellegrino, who has led the PBA participation in the Central Jersey Darkness Walk the past three years.
And now as the Law Enforcement Peer Liaison for Princeton House Behavioral Health, Burkert continues to work on mental health awareness, promoting brothers’ keepers and raising the bar on suicide prevention. As he observed the largest participation at the walk as he has ever seen this year, Burkert confirms that as another sign of coming out of the darkness.
“ We’ ve gained leaps and bounds since 2008 on destigmatizing mental illness,” Burkert reports.“ With the way we’ ve been able to educate brothers’ keepers and how the PBA has grown the doctor-peer model with( Clinical Services Director) Dr.( Gene) Stefanelli and Dr.( Michael) Bizzarro, we have so many peers who have been trained in recognizing the signs and raising awareness. It doesn’ t get any easier, but we have come here today to give remembrance and honor those we have lost.”
The brothers’ keeper model utilizes the Question-Persuade-Refer( QPR) approach Cop2Cop teaches and has done so to train thousands of members through its partnership with the PBA. Perhaps the greatest sign that awareness is on the rise is Weiss’ report that Cop2Cop is going to departments nearly every week and providing detailed programs for the PBA’ s biggest membership groups like State Corrections Local 105.
Furby saw the signs when looking back at all the people following the Morris County Corrections Honor Guard when the walk began.
“ Seems like a lot of people here today who lost members,” he reveals.“ And no one wants to see it continuing. If we keep this up, maybe we can put this event out of business.”
Nobody walks alone
If the ultimate question asks where this is all leading, Burkert has a forward-thinking perspective. He recalls his days on the job coming home from an eight- or 16-hour shift each day and wanting to take his uniform off to cleanse himself before he would let his children even touch him.
“ It’ s just your job, not your life,” he details.“ If you don’ t let go of
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www. njcopsmagazine. com ■ NOVEMBER 2017 47