Table of Contents

Section 1: Foundation
1. Introduction & statement of the problem
2. Police officer wellness
3. Internal threats to police wellness
4. Implicit bias, officer wellness, and police training

Section 2: Psychic wounds: consequences of a lack of personal wellness
5. The moral risks of policing
6. The neurobiology of police health, resilience, and wellness
7. Compassion Fatigue and burnout
8. Moral injury in law enforcement
9. PTSD and other operational stress injuries among police officers: empirical findings and reflections from clinical experience

Section 3: Intervention and Prevention
10. Creating a culture of wellness
11. Promoting wellness
12. The role of compassion satisfaction
13. Community Relations and Community-Oriented Policing
14. Closing thoughts

About the Author

Dr. Konstantinos Papazoglou, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral scholar at Yale University School of Medicine. He completed his doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in psychology (clinical - forensic area) as Vanier Scholar at the University of Toronto (U of T). He is a former Police Major of the Hellenic Police Force and European Police College and he holds a master’s degree in applied psychology from New York University (NYU) as Onassis Scholar. Currently, he is involved in community policing trauma-focused programs aimed to support victims of violent crimes. In addition, he is affiliated researcher with the Loss, Trauma, and Emotion Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University of New York. His research work focuses on stress, trauma, and resilience promotion among police officers. Towards this direction he has established research collaboration with many law enforcement agencies in US, Canada, and Europe (e.g., Police Training Institute – Illinois State Police, State Police of Kentucky, National Police of Finland). Daniel M. Blumberg, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who has spent the past 33 years providing all facets of clinical and consulting psychological services to numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. He specializes in employment-related psychological evaluations, psycho-educational training, and management consultation. In addition to his expertise in workplace stress prevention and trauma recovery, Dr. Blumberg is an authority on the selection, training and supervision of undercover operatives. His training program on successful hiring of public safety personnel has received widespread praise. He is an Associate Professor in the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University’s San Diego Campus where he teaches a variety of psychology and forensic psychology courses. His research interests include police integrity, the moral risks of policing, and programs to improve relations between the police and the community.

Reviews

"Trauma exposure within the policing and first responder environments can lead to real, de-habilitating psychological injuries if left untreated. Although there are no slings, crutches or bandages for such operational stress injuries the end consequences may lead to suicide ideation, attempts or actual completion contributing to disastrous consequences for the involved member, their family and loved ones, along with their colleagues and the community in which they serve. The authors of the book, POWER, provide an extensive collection of education, awareness, research and accessibility to evidence-based techniques that can provide members, their family and loved ones with the information, skills and coping strategies necessary for enjoying an exciting career armed with the knowledge by promoting wellness and healthy strategies that can be implemented via individuals and their respective organizations. This book will become required take home literature for ALL First Responders participating in our future Badge of Life Canada programming focusing on topics, such as moral injury, sanctuary trauma and perceived injustice." --Sgt. Bill Rusk (Ret.), Executive Director, Badge of Life Canada

"Written by a powerful line up of experts in the field, many with years of hands-on experience, this book is a must read for anyone with a professional or personal interest in law enforcement. Offering an impressive breadth of coverage on topics related to police wellness, the editors and contributors present a comprehensive view of the many ways law enforcement personnel can be affected by the realities of the job. The authors also provide valuable insight and key strategies designed to promote a culture of individual and organizational wellness. This publication is a very welcome and important contribution to our field." --Dr. Carolyn Burns, Registered Psychologist, over 30 years of experience working with first responders

"This is a very important book brought to us by very compassionate people who’ve dedicated their careers to serving the law enforcement community. Through their sworn duty to serve, police officers and their families make sacrifices to protect the community at large. As a society we have failed to treat them with the respect and appreciation for these sacrifices that they deserve. In my work in the field of police wellness I hear from officers again and again ‘it’s been a long time coming’ that their wellness is something that’s being prioritized. They deeply appreciate knowing someone sees the ways in which they suffer, and they respond to this compassion. The topics covered in this book are exactly where the light needs to be shone in order for compassionate, comprehensive, effective, programs and policies to be developed and established." --Chris Checkett, MSW, LISW-S, Founder of Cleveland Mindfulness Center, Co-creator of the Mindfulness Training Program for the City of Cleveland, Division of Police

"With traumatic incidents, routine stressors and the toxic nature of police work, POWER: Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience dives into the psychological wounds created by this environment and how departments and officers can promote wellness. Now, more than ever, departments need to make wellness a top priority. Dr.’s Papazoglou and Blumberg, use evidence-based strategies to build strong and positive peace officers and a department culture of wellness." --Brian R. Marvel, President Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC)