Introducing the Toronto Police Service Chief’s Wellbeing Program: Cultivating Member Wellbeing from Day One

More than ever before, it is widely recognized that mental health is a fundamental component of police officer health and performance; that the persistently stressful nature of police work puts officers at risk for higher rates of operational stress injuries. It is also widely recognized that in a rank-based organization where mental health has historically been stigmatized, involvement from Command on wellbeing programs has a meaningful impact on the success of the program. This interactive presentation will highlight how the Toronto Police Service (TPS) Member Wellbeing Strategy is enhancing the wellbeing of members and the specific ways in which Command is spearheading innovative and evidence-based wellbeing programming to contribute to longer and healthier careers in policing and promoting a high performance culture of health, safety and wellbeing across the Service. In 2023, TPS Police Chief Myron Demkiw in partnership with the TPS Wellness Unit introduced the Chief’s Wellbeing Program. Co-designed and co-delivered the four-part program targets new uniform members in their first 24 months of assignment. The program has four (4) key wellbeing targets: training, commitment, reinforcement and follow-up. The presentation will detail how the TPS has embedded the program into the lives of new members and what the impact of the program has had on new recruits in its inaugural year. The presentation will also highlight the important role that community partnerships can play in the success of wellbeing programs and the role that leaders play as wellness ambassadors and culture-shifters.