National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum will host a free virtual panel discussion, Preventing Death by Suicide: a Chief-to-Chief Leadership Wellness Discussion. This important panel discussion will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, October 14 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm (EDT).
Washington, DC— The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum will host a free virtual panel discussion, Preventing Death by Suicide: a Chief-to-Chief Leadership Wellness Discussion. This important panel discussion will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, October 14 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm (EDT).
Suicide prevention is a major concern in law enforcement. Health and wellness programs are being created across the country to help officers and their families ensure that they will not become victims of a suicide tragedy. This virtual panel discussion will explore such prevention programs and share other avenues that address suicide prevention by engaging law enforcement leadership in their strategies and best practices.
“As first responders, our nation’s law enforcement officers face an enormous amount of mental stress,” said National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund CEO Marcia Ferranto. “The number of suicides in law enforcement is troubling. We are pleased to be able to bring a frank discussion to law enforcement leaders on this issue, and to help keep the men and women who serve both physically and mentally fit.”
Law enforcement chiefs from across North America will share their leadership journeys into enhancing officer wellness programs across an array of day-to-day professional services and response to critical incidents involving officer involved shootings, officer suicides, and other mental health events. The discussion will also include the impact of increasing morale and building acceptance for the concepts of creating a police family environment for all employees, volunteers, and retired personnel by demonstrating care and accepting that “it is okay not to be okay.”
As these chiefs come together to share positive risk taking and the leveraging of subject matter personnel, the panel will equip peer chiefs with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to develop a true leadership culture that is compassionate and empathetic on all mental health issues. Together we can reduce death by suicide in the law enforcement profession.
Moderated by Colonel Edwin Roessler, Fairfax County (VA) Chief of Police, Preventing Death by Suicide: a Chief-to-Chief Leadership Wellness Discussion will also provide an understanding of how a chief’s personal wellness leads to effective program sustainability and mental wellness stigma reduction.
Panelists include:
-
Chief Peter Newsham, Metropolitan (DC) Police Department
-
Superintendent Martin Bruce, Support Services Division, Vancouver (Canada) Police Department
-
Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala, Director, Office of Support Services, Los Angeles (CA) Police Department
-
Dr. Luann Pannell, Director, Police Training and Education, Los Angeles (CA) Police Department
-
Dr. Denise Jablonski Kaye, Police Psychologist, Los Angeles (CA) Police Department
-
Sergeant Joe King, Director, Boston (MA) Police Peer Support Unit
-
Dr. Bernie Gonzalez, Founder and Director, Boundless Leadership Consulting
-
Josh Goldberg, Executive Director, Boulder Crest Foundation
Preventing Death by Suicide: a Chief-to-Chief Leadership Wellness Discussion,is made possible through the generous sponsorship of LexisNexis Risk Solutions. Register for the panel discussion here.
Media who wish to attend the panel discussion, please contact Robyn Small at 202-737-8524.
###
About the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial contains the names of 22,217 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. For more information about the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, visit LawMemorial.org. Authorized by Congress in 2000, the 57,000-square-foot National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building tells the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a “walk in the shoes” experience along with educational journeys, immersive exhibitions, and insightful programs. The Museum is an initiative of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information on the Law Enforcement Museum, visit LawEnforcementMuseum.org.
Robyn Small
[email protected]
(202) 737-8524