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A policing first in Canada today. Law enforcement leaders from across the country gathered in Mississauga to discuss the mental health and well-being of their members. 34 police and first responders have committed suicide since last April, and many believe the stress of the job is partially to blame. The three-day conference will focus on programs that have been used successfully and explore new ways for police to deal with mental health issues.
Last June, 3 RCMP Officers were gunned down in Moncton New Brunswick. The tragic event highlights the dangers of police work and the stress involved. RCMP Assistant Commissioner Roger Brown was at the helm at the time and says it had a huge impact on the entire service. “When you think about the impact it has as a person, it’s heavy, and when you think of the impact it has on the organization it’s difficult. For me it was dealing with the pain and dealing with the reality of the job that we do”
Experts say it’s that reality, the reality of putting your life on the line every day and seeing death and destruction regularly that puts police at higher risk for mental health problems.
Ottawa police are taking part in a pilot project on a program called “The Real You”. It’s a holistic approach to wellness that the founder, Dr. Neda Amani says has been very successful. “The program was created because the predominant factors for health are the same as the factors for mental health. So activity, good nutrition, dealing with stress properly, good social supports, some kind of personal reflection time, the spirituality aspects of our lives.”
Another initiative that’s getting a lot of talk at the conference is the road to mental readiness program. It was first adopted by Calgary police in 2014 and now Hamilton Police have come on board. “It will be about engaging in courageous conversations, it will be about checking and probing people to get to that deeper level of what is taking place on the inside” says Hamilton Police Chief Glen De Caire
More than 200 leaders from across the country are taking part in the conference. The Association of Chiefs of Police will be looking at the presentations today and taking some of the best, most effective to roll out to other services in the next few months.
