you go into a downward spiral.
“Every officer who is exposed to the secondary dangers is going to have some kind of
challenge with them,” Dr. Bizzarro adds. “It's
what you do with them. If you keep everything inside, it's like a pressure-cooker.”
If the officer stays numb and blocks everything out until it's too late, the lid can blow in
a lot of ways. Alcohol and drug addiction is
one of the biggest. The ultimate is suicide.
“That's when you realize, I could be that
guy and you have to ask, 'What do I lose?'“
Burkert warns. “You lose seeing your kids
growing up and walking your daughter down
= It= could= go away
=
=
=
the aisle.
with
one thought,
and=you have to= be able to stop
= that
= process.”
=
=
COVER STORY
The NJ State PBA Peer Liaison Committee
Dr. B, without any worry of impact on their to give officers the opportunity to seek ther=
=
livelihoods.
And when they deal with a apy from qualified providers of their chooscritical
= incident =for which healing is well- ing. Pellegrino also is working on plans to
they know they won’t add qualified doctors to the PBA team from
=
=
=
=
=
= served
= = with
= therapy,
=
have
=
=
=
= =
= to go back
= to work until the time is right, across the state to ease some of the 24-7
Stopping
the process
of and
workload.
= =
= = can= be a matter
=
= they can= go without fear.
treatment
or
prevention.
With
the
help
of
“It’s
not
a
short
process,”
Dr.
Stef
confides.
As for prevention, Dr. Bizzarro offers a plan
=
=
=
Cop 2 Cop,
the
NJ
State
PBA
has
become
one
“It
takes
a
long
time,
and
there
are
always
for
managing
to keep
=
=
=
=
=
= = well-being
= =
= = officers
=
=
=
=
=
= =
=
of the most successful labor unions in the residuals. In a successful relationship,
it’s
from
spinning
into
the
spiral.
=
=
=
=
= = =
=The
= simple
=
= =
=
=
=
=
=
country on both fronts, an endeavor that important for the doctor and the patient to approach is to incorporate mental, physical,
= =
=
=
=
= =
=
=
=
= = =
=
=
=
=
=
began nearly 15 years ago when Dr. Stef agree that it’s OK to go back to work.”
emotional and spiritual well-being into the
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
came on board and Burkert was asked to repDr. Stefanelli also warns members to be response protocol. And in this day and age of
= = policing,
=
= also a =social and community
=
= law enforcement
= =
= on
= the Governor’s
=
= careful= of a=therapist who might not= be qualresent
there’s
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
Task Force on Suicide Prevention.
ified to treat law enforcement. He tells of one well-being that could be important elements
= =
=
= =
=
=
= has
= since= grown
= expertise
= = = in pro=
= =
=
Dr.= Stef
member
he treated
who was originally
of suicide
prevention.
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
= officers
=
=
= =
viding therapy
for
who= have= spiraled,= referred
through
his department to the
“Remember the goal: to heighten your
=
= = to facilitate
= = = change,” Dr. Bizzarro
=
= much
= of
= the = municipality’s
=
= workman’s comp doctor
and =this work has= proven that
that= = awareness
=
=
success= members
have= is =built= on the
advises. “When you choose to do it, the fact
= =
= rela= = happened
= to be
= a child psychologist.
tionship with
the therapist.
=
=
= They
= have
=
= And Dr.= Stef is even hoping to work with that you have the willingness is probably half
become comfortable
talking
Pellegrino
= =
=
= to Dr.
= Stef and
=
= and
= the PBA to propose legislation the battle.” d
All Cal