Heart attack on duty
How the widow-maker almost got me
I was rubbing my chest when he walked in because, just 20 minutes earlier, a medical assistant had plucked a grip of those sticky EKG pads from the geography surrounding […] Read More
September 2026
Mixing alcohol and trauma
Research shows that alcohol actively impedes trauma recovery by altering brain chemistry and disrupting emotional processing. Rather than supporting healing, alcohol can create a vicious cycle that reinforces fear memories, […] Read More
Infinite possibilities for wellness
Investing in officer well-being and resilience recovery
First responder risks Peace officers, along with other first responders who have sworn their lives to protect their fellow citizens, not only put their physical safety at risk because of […] Read More
Coming in hot
The instructor is not the target
Mandatory training on the first day off in two weeks. New guidance from administration with no context. Staffing shortages the night before. When officers walk into a training session already […] Read More
Navigating thoughts of suicide
If you’ve experienced thoughts of suicide as a police officer, you are not alone. Recent research estimates that 21% of officers — roughly one in five — report suicidal thoughts […] Read More
Operationalizing your mental fitness
Motivation versus discipline
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever shown up to work and thought, “I just don’t feel like putting my vest on today?” Probably not. Not because you […] Read More
Resilience on the beat
How to stay mentally
A patrol officer clears a fatal crash involving a teenager. Notifications have been made, the investigation is complete and the report is underway. Thirty minutes later, the same officer is […] Read More
The wellness watch
Can mandated mental health checks save lives and careers?
The numbers have long been whispered in roll calls and locker rooms, but recent years have forced them into the open. Law enforcement professionals die by suicide at a rate […] Read More
The new chief and the old salt
A new chief rarely has a complete understanding of the organization on the first day in command. Even with careful preparation, research and extensive input from others, the full weight […] Read More
“Courage to call, an honor to listen”
When officers need support, CopLine is there
My career in law enforcement spanned nearly 47 years. I worked in patrol, criminal investigations, the gang unit and the emergency response team. I held many pivotal positions, including supervisor […] Read More
Trauma exposure and preventing officer suicide
From 9/11 to Today
There is no single comprehensive, centralized database tracking all police suicides nationwide directly tied to 9/11. What is known is that at least 35 rescue and recovery workers died by […] Read More
The hidden costs of micromanagement
When good intentions undermine initiative
A supervisor reviews a report and corrects nearly every sentence. An experienced instructor develops a training plan, only to have routine decisions reconsidered. A trusted employee starts a project but […] Read More
Policy should guide, not handcuff
The dangers of overly restrictive policies
It’s said the road to hell is paved with good intentions. That may be true for many things, but far too often the road to hell is paved with evil […] Read More
Honoring the Fallen Heroes of 9-11
On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four passenger planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York, the pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a […] Read More
Serving every survivor, every sacrifice
For most Americans, September 11, 2001, is remembered as a day that changed the nation forever. As a young college student in Missouri, I didn’t have any personal ties to […] Read More
Steel Across America
A World Trade Center beam goes on a coast-to-coast journey.
On September 11, a 26-foot, 16,900-pound steel beam pulled from the debris pile of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001, will return home to ground zero in […] Read More
The first officers on scene on September 11
Remembering 9/11, 25 years later — Part 9
Tuesday, September 11, 2001, was America’s darkest day. It was a day that saw 2,977 people murdered by al-Qaida terrorists who attacked our country from within using American resources. The […] Read More
National Night Out 2026
On August 4, communities across the country gathered to celebrate National Night Out. For more than 40 years, millions of residents in thousands of cities have participated in the annual […] Read More
