10-7 End of Watch: Impacts of the Job After the Shift Ends and Making Wellness a Family Matter

Saturday, October 19, 2024

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET

Location: 253B

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Sherri A. Martin, MA, LPCA

National Director of Wellness Services
Fraternal Order of Police
Meriden, Connecticut, United States

Speaker(s)

Jacqueline Drew, PhD, PhD

Associate Professor
Griffith University
Nathan, Queensland, Australia
SE

Sarah Estill

Social Science Analyst
United States Department of Justice
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

A career in law enforcement is a family affair! In order to be complete, conversations about officer mental health and wellness must include an examination of the ties between well-being and personal relationships. The 2023 Biennial Critical Issues in Policing Survey, a nationwide survey of U.S. police officers, measured officer well-being and perceptions of how the job impacts home life and relationships. This presentation will explore findings of this research, providing important information about the most effective ways to include families in agency wellness programming. In addition, a new program for law enforcement family wellness, Blue Family Focus, will be discussed with an exploration of how family wellness efforts can pair with peer support programs for maximum impact.