GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — The Green Bay Police Department is taking care of their officers by taking care of their health; both physical and mental.
Law enforcement officials are more susceptible to mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicide due to exposure to traumatic incidents. As a result, the Green Bay Police Department has partnered with Cordico; a wellness app made specifically for first responders.
Lieutenant Erin Bloch says the wellness materials the app provides are culturally competent to police officers. Those materials include mental health self-assessments, videos and guides on exercise, mindfulness, nutrition, and the PEER Support Team, which is made up of colleagues who are available to help employees and their family or partners in a time of need.
“We hope to get some aggregate data on what people are accessing most often,” said Bloch. “Then we know what our people need and we can bring in training that best suits their needs.”
Aside from Cordico, the Green Bay Police Department allows staff to have one hour of on-duty wellness time each week in the GBPD Fitness Room. The department says that employees who incorporate physical fitness, mindfulness, or mediation into their routines are in a much better position to serve others.
The Green Bay Police Department will soon begin annual staff check-ins with wellness coaches to discuss where they are mentally; not only on the job but in their lives outside of work.
“You don’t have to go because you’re stressed, we just want to get people comfortable with going and having a conversation and building those relationships,” said Bloch. “So when something does stressful does happen, they’ve already built up that confidence.”
While the intent of these initiatives is to help officers manage their mental health, its also been assisting with recruitment and retention. The Green Bay Police Department says they will still continue to work on improving wellness in the department.
