National Institute of Justice Law Enforcement Peer Support Training

• NCJ Number: 189124
• Author(s): Larry A. Morris Ph.D.; J. Michael Morgan Ph.D.; Kevin M. Gilmartin Ph.D.
• Date Published: February 1999
• Length: 428 pages
• Grant Number(s): 98-FS-VX-0005
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Training (Handbook/Manual)

Annotation

This training manual provides an informational course to Peer Support Counselors involved in Arizona Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #51’s peer support stress identification and reduction program within Native American and campus police departments.

Abstract

Native American police agencies have policing environments that contribute significantly to officer stress including high crime rates, immense geographic areas and high levels of poverty. University police settings have only been superficially explored. In 1998, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #51 in Tucson, Arizona was awarded a grant from the National Institute of Justice to develop effective methods for reducing stress in these 2 policing groups that have received very limited attention in the peer support literature. The outcome was the development of the Peer Counseling Program with the Tohono O’Odham Police Department, the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police, and the University of Arizona Police Department. A Law Enforcement Peer Support Training Manual was developed for Peer Support Team members or counselors to use during intensive training phases and as a resource upon completion. The basic format of the course revolves around two major elements: (1) knowing how to listen, and (2) knowing what to listen to. The Peer Support Counselors training is similar to traditional training, although the content was modified to be culturally appropriate and specific to the departments’ unique circumstances. The manual is divided into 20 sections: (1) program description; (2) introduction to peer support; (3) cultural and sub-cultural considerations; (4) police socialization; (5) active listening; (6) crisis intervention; (7) post-traumatic stress; (8) post shooting trauma; (9) critical incident stress management; (10) line of duty death, death notification; (11) anger management; (12) conflict resolution; (13) substance abuse; (14) self-destructive behavior; (15) confidentiality; (16) assessing stress; (17) organizational roles of the peer supporter; (18) future planning; (19) stages of grief; and (20) domestic violence.