Appleton (WI) Police Department | Peer Support Program Results

Appleton (WI) Police Department | Peer Support Program Results

Appleton (WI) Police Department

State: WI

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Appleton (WI) Police Department | Peer Support Program Results

Appleton (WI) Police Department (110 sworn)

In 2013, Appleton Police Department launched a shared resources program with a unique approach to providing peer counseling and resources to all of Outagamie County in Wisconsin. This program offers shared resources between different county law enforcement agencies that allow for peer counseling from a fellow officer. This program is innovative in its shared resources approach, and provides the extra benefit of confidentiality as a peer counselors may be selected from an outside agency.

The program is made up of 29 peer counselors from seven different police departments who were all trained as counselors together and are part of a common countywide platform. A poster was created with the photograph, name and contact number of the peer counselors and is posted in strategic locations at police agencies across the entire county.

This county wide peer support team also has developed a free yoga class for officers, a new employee orientation program and provides a flash drive with free curriculum information on it. All employees are provided a copy of the book “Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement.” A licensed counselor participates in ride-alongs with officers.