FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
CHIEF LOUIS BORDI VOORHEES PD
The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | May 2021
Policing is a tough job . This has never been more true than in our present situation . To our members , this is not exactly a new revelation . Still , as leaders of our agencies , it is important that we keep this in mind as we look to not only serve and protect our communities , but just as importantly to care for our personnel .
Over the past few years there has been a growing consensus about the critical need for law enforcement , officers – and their agencies – need to develop resilience . This has been defined as the actions taken to build physical , psychological , and emotional strength before being subjected to repeated physical and psychological trauma .
Two years ago , the state of New Jersey launched the “ New Jersey Resilience Program for Law Enforcement ,” a firstin-the-nation statewide program to train officers to become better equipped to handle the daily stress of police work . We all recognize that this was just a first step , and not the end of the destination , in the hard work of helping to build resilient officers and agencies .
Our Association has been directly involved in this state initiative , and we have also taken some steps of our own in this regard . We recently created the position of NJSACOP Chief Psychologist , who is now the Association ’ s “ go-to ” advisor and subject matter expert for police psychology topics . The most important aspect of this new position is that our members will be able to consult with our Chief Psychologist as needed on topics related to ( 1 ) psychological evaluations for new hires , promotions , and special assignments , ( 2 ) fitness for duty evaluations , ( 3 ) critical incident debriefings , and ( 4 ) officer wellness and resiliency . Dr . Lew Schlosser has been named as our initial Chief Psychologist . Dr . Schlosser will also provide training and briefings for the membership on these topics . Additionally , Dr . Schlosser will staff the new NJSACOP Officer Wellness Committee , under the leadership of NJSACOP Vice President Chief John Russo .
I have recently been in touch with leaders in our state Legislature about having legislation introduced here , as has been enacted in other states , as it relates to peer support and officer wellness to be considered confidential and outside the view of public records . I will continue to push for this and similarly critical support for our officers . As with so much else , the NJSACOP continues to lead the way .
Chief Louis Bordi NJSACOP President
The NJSACOP sends its sincerest condolences to the families of :
Chief Gary Cummings , Retired Life Member Chief Ted Ehrenburg , Retired Life Member Chief Gustav Hintz , Retired Life Member Chief Frank College , Retired Life Member Chief Thomas Darmody , Retired Life Member
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