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References Weiss, D., Brunet, A., Best, S., Metzler, T., Liberman, A., Pole, N., and Marmar, C. (2010). Frequency and severity approaches to indexing exposure to trauma: The Critical Incident History Questionnaire for police officers. Retrieved May 12, 2020, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jts.20576 Chopko, B., Palmieri, P., & Adams, R. (2015). Critical incident history questionnaire replication: Frequency and severity of trauma exposure among officers from small and midsize police agencies. Retrieved May 12, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25808672 National Fraternal Order of Police. (2018). Report on FOP/NBC survey of police officer mental and behavioral health. Retrieved on May 12, 2020, from https://fop.net/CmsDocument/Doc/OfficerWellnessSurvey.pdf

agency, anticipating needs, providing support, and assisting with confidential referrals to culturally-competent therapists. The Role of COVID-19 and Other High-Impact Events Law enforcement must remain proactive and prepared for high-impact events, extended crises, and other incidents that can substantially undermine the health and safety of officers. In the beginning of 2020, the “novel coronavirus,” now known as COVID-19, changed our world. Law enforcement professionals have dealt with the impact of COVID-19 in their personal lives and their professional lives, in addition to the crossover effects between the two. Research indicates that 92 percent of cities reported an inadequate supply of PPE for their first responders, many are fearful of bringing the virus home to their loved ones, and COVID-19 frontline workers experience significantly increased levels of distress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Research further indicates that quarantined individuals experience heightened distress and alcohol abuse, thereby creating greater risk for law enforcement. In summary, COVID-19 has substantially increased the stressors faced by law enforcement, and serves to reinforce officer safety, wellness, and resilience as the highest priorities for the future of the profession. FUTURE GENERATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS Research indicates clearly that the younger generations of officers who have entered the profession over the past decade, and who will be entering the profession in the years to come, are more stress vulnerable than earlier generations. Couple this reality with the fact that the stressors, pressures, and demands placed upon law enforcement show no sign of abating (quite the opposite). We can anticipate that not only will officer wellness remain a top priority in the years to come, but agencies who prioritize officer wellness will enjoy a distinct advantage in recruiting and retaining top personnel in the competitive market. Technology will also play a larger role over time, as many departments provide their officers with agency-customized wellness apps, law enforcement therapists provide therapy increasingly via remote video (including EMDR treatment for posttraumatic stress), and the younger generation of officers view technology as a safer, easier, and more reliable point of access for engaging high-quality wellness support. Additionally, greater emphasis will be placed on officer wellness tools, articles, training events, and services, as these assorted resources become more accepted, normalized, and expected as central aspects of officer safety and essential elements of law enforcement’s greater mission to serve and protect. SUMMARY As law enforcement leaders, we are in the midst of historic shifts towards more proactive, preventive, and strategic approaches to strengthening officer wellness that continue to gain momentum. More and more stakeholders are uniting in their shared support of officer wellness, while demand for officer wellness support continues to grow. These changes are welcome, as we lost 220 officers to suicide in 2019, and the pressures placed upon our law enforcement professionals continue to grow with no end in sight. It is up to us, as responsible leaders, to do all we can to support, protect, and assist the men and women who serve in the profession. Lives depend upon it, and the future of the profession depends upon it.

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Officer Down Memorial Page. (2020). 2019 Honor Roll of Heroes. Retrieved on May 12, 2020, from https://www.odmp.org/search/year/2019

Blue H.E.L.P. (2020). Suicides to date by year. Retrieved on May 12, 2020, from https://bluehelp.org

Brooks, S. K., Webster, R. K., Smith, L. E., Woodland, L., Wessely, S., Greenberg, N., & Rubin, G. J. (2020). The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: Rapid review of the evidence. The Lancet, 395(10227), 912-920. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30460-8 Lai, J., Ma, S., Wang, Y., Cai, Z., Hu, J., Wei, N., . . . Hu, S. (2020). Factors Associated With Mental Health Outcomes Among Health Care Workers Exposed to Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Network Open, 3(3). doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3976 Shortages of COVID-19 Emergency Equipment in U.S. Cities. (2020, March 27). Retrieved May 12, 2020, from https://www.usmayors.org/issues/covid-19/ equipment-survey/

American Psychological Association (2019). Stress in America Press Release. Retrieved May 12, 2020, https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/index

About the Author: Dr. David Black is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Psychologist of Cordico, serving hundreds of public safety agencies nationally. He is a Board Member of the National Sheriffs’ Association Psychological Services Group, serves as the Chair of Technology and Social Media, is an Advisory Board Member for the National Police Foundation’s Center for Mass Violence Response Studies, serves on the IACP Police Psychological Services Ethics Committee, served on IACP committees tasked with updating Officer-Involved Shooting and Fitness-for-Duty standards, serves on the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Officer Wellness

Committee, serves on the California Police Chiefs’ Association Human Behind the Badge Initiative, and is an Officer Wellness subject matter expert for the California Commission on POST. Dr. Black has been serving law enforcement since 2002.

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spend the majority of their time, energy and focus on things without meaning and importance are more likely to experience dissatisfaction, boredom, lethargy and depression. This chronic stress can lead to withdrawal and rigidity, the opposite of resilience. To help bring light to what you find most important, consider the following questions:

• What do you value the most? • What are your priorities? • What is defining about your life? • What guides you in making decisions?

Although it’s not easy, align your attention and intention with what’s most important to you and never lose sight of your purpose!

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