fatigue, thirst, chills, nausea, light-headedness, muscle tremors,
profuse sweating and rapid heart rate.
Incidents or occurrences of any of the above could warrant
making the call. And although the call could go to Dr. Gene Stefanelli or Dr. Michael Bizzarro from the PBA’s Clinical Services, or
Mike Pellegrino, the Peer Assistance Committee Chairman, the
“immediate” call is better served going to Cop 2 Cop.
Because what typically happens is that a State Delegate has just
found out about a critical or traumatic incident, and he or she
gets on the phone asking for somebody to come out and do a
debriefing, “now.”
“We= say,
= ‘no,’”
= Castellano
=
= informs. =“Not because
= =we’re lazy. But
if the
debriefing
is
done
incorrectly,
it
can
re-traumatize.
Some=
=
= = =
=
=
=
body who
is
well-intentioned
and
enthusiastic
but
isn’t
properly
=
=
= =
=
=
= =
=
=
trained shouldn‘t be rushing out to a crime scene or Emergency
=
=
=
= =
=
=
Room.”
= =
= =
=
=
=
=
Cop 2 Cop reminds that State Delegates or other Local leaders
=
=
=
making the call are often upset or anxious and trying to get their
=
= probably
= haven’t=slept
= in =24 hours and
members
help =ASAP. They
=
=
=
=
=
= support.
= “It’s
are also worrying about getting their members legal
heartbreaking
to hear
they
call
=
=
= = when
=
=
= how= much they= are strug=
gling,”
= Castellano
=
= =
=adds.= =
=
=
=
process
it =follows that
=Cop 2 Cop= has
= a seven-step
=
=
=
= Castellano
=
helped designed to debrief and treat 180 Port Authority Officers
following
2= Cop made
= = 9-11.
= There
= is= a reason
= = Cop
=
= = 300 follow-up
=
calls to the 52 calls requesting debriefing in 2015.
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
= =
“Cherie understands the whole back story,” Pellegrino reasons.
=
=
=
= =
=
=
=
“Cop 2 Cop has the complete service. They handle it in such a
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
well-thought-out manner so all Delegates can understand what’s
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
important and how to break it down.”
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
The Cop 2 Cop PEER Support team conducts its daily roll call to debrief
=
=
=
= follow-ups
=
= = hot cases.
= =
=
from= the overnight
calls =and assess
and
=
=
=
=
= = =
= = =
Critical Response
= =
=
=
=
= =
=
=
=
Following
the latest officer suicide in April, Cop 2 Cop brought a
team in 72= hours= after
= =to effect a= Crisis Management
=
= Briefing
(CMB). This
as an
= involves
= =
=bringing =a large
= =group
= together, such
=
entire department,
to
provide
information
on
what
is
a
normal
= =
=
= =
=
=
reaction and what might be abnormal behavior in the aftermath.
=
=
=
=
=
=
“Everybody feels guilt; that’s normal,” Castellano clarifies. “Chest
=
= =
= =
= = =
=
pains, irritability and the checklist of other reactions, and you need
=
=
more help.”
Crisis management following a traumatic or critical incident can
CONTINUED ON PAGE 36
www.njcopsmagazine.com
n
MAY 2016
35