Spring 2022
Interested in Submitting an Article for the Newsletter?
If you are interested in submitting an article for the newsletter, please email Michael Cummings. Articles should be no more than 1,000 words.
Job Postings
Our Job Bank webpage is one of our most viewed pages. To see current job openings, click on this link: https://ncdoj.gov/ncja/job-bank/. If your agency has job openings, please complete the Submit New Job form, and we will be glad to advertise it for you on our website.
Training at NCJA
If you are interested in receiving training at NCJA (in-person or online), make sure that you are registered to take classes. Links for registration and a complete listing of courses are below:
Registration and Training Portal
Complete Listing of Courses
NCJA Podcast
NCJA 10-14 is the podcast produced by NCJA. Topics covered include hemp, opioids, human trafficking, and more. Don’t worry if you’ve missed an episode. You can listen or download them here: https://ncdoj.gov/ncja/podcasts/.
NCJA Online Bookstore
As a reminder, you can now order materials from our bookstore online. Head on over to the Academy Bookstore to see what’s available.
NCJA Library/Research Center
Did you know that you don’t have to be on the Academy’s campus to take advantage of our available criminal justice resources? If you are interested in researching a topic, click on the link below to NCJA’s Research Center page. Here you will find links to the Criminal Justice Database, NC LIVE, and freely available reports from the Police Foundation, Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), US DOJ Community Oriented Police (COPS), and more. Note: you will need login credentials to access the Criminal Justice Database and NC LIVE, but these credentials can be obtained by contacting the NCJA Library. You can also reach us by phone at 910-926-6016 or 910-926-6090.
Additionally, we can loan out materials from the library collection and mail them to you. All you need is a library account. Contact us to set up an account if you don’t have one. Here’s the link to the NCJA Research Center.
Recent Library Acquisitions
Contact the library staff if you are interested in borrowing one of the books listed below. If the item you’d like to borrow is checked-out, we can place it on hold for you.
| Title | Call Number |
| Closing the communication gap: an effective method for achieving desired results | P37.5.C64 H37 2014 |
| Confidential Informants: A Closer Look at Police Policy | HV8073. S53 2016 |
| Cracking Cases: The Science of Solving Crimes | HV8079.H6 L44 2002 |
| Cracking More Cases: The Forensic Science of Solving Crimes | HV8079.H6 L44 2004 |
| Definitive Book of Body Language: The Hidden Meaning Behind People’s Gestures and Expressions | BF637.N66 P43 2006 |
| Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals | BF575.S75 S728 2020 |
| Introduction to Homeland Security: Principles of All-Hazards Risk Management | HV6432. B85 2020 |
| Learning and Development for a Multigenerational Workforce: Growing Talent Amongst Age Diverse Employees | HF5549.5.M5 M85 2021 |
| Long Range Precision Rifle: The Complete Guide to Hitting Targets at Distance | UD330 .C57 2019 |
| Managing Emotional Mayhem: The Five Steps for Self-Regulation | HQ755.7. B35 2011 |
| Modern Snipers | UD330. N48 2016 |
| Never Be Lied to Again: How to Get the Truth In 5 Minutes or Less in Any Conversation or Situation | BF637.T77 L54 1998 |
| Occupation Under Siege: Resolving Mental Health Crises in Law Enforcement | HV7936.J63 V56 2021 |
| POWER: Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience | HV7936.P75 P69 2020 |
| POWER Manual: A Step-by-Step Guide to Improving Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience | HV7936.H4 B58 2022 |
| Pulled Over: The Law of Traffic Stops and Offenses in North Carolina | REF KFN7697.8. D46 2017 |
| Rethinking and Reforming American Policing: Leadership Challenges and Future Opportunities | HV7936. S8. R48 2022 |
| Terrorism and Counterterrorism | HV6431. N34 2019 |
| Terrorism and Organized Hate Crime | HV8079 .H38 R66 2018 |
| Toxic Workplace! | HF5549.5.E42 K87 2009 |
| You Say More Than You Think: A 7-Day Plan for Using the New Body Language to Get What You Want | BF637.N66 D75 2010 |
Peace Officer Memorial
On May 3rd, 2022, The North Carolina Justice Academy participated in officiating the 37th annual Attorney General’s Peace Officers Memorial Day Ceremony. This event celebrated the life and service of thirty fallen officers from 2021 and 2022 who lost their lives in service to the state. These thirty officers served in 18 different agencies from across the state. Each family was honored by presentations and gifts from The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Fraternal Order of Police.
| Corr. Officer II Allen Bruce Trivett | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Corr. Sgt. II Michael R. Flagg | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Corr. Officer III Charles Warren Harris, Jr. | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Corr. Officer III Thomas Daniel Roberts, Jr. | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Corr. Officer Joseph Lloyd Greinke | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Corr. Sgt. III Christopher Eugene Sorrenti | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Assoc. Warden III Julian Arsenio Priest | NC Department of Public Safety |
| 1st Sgt. Timothy Lee Howell | NC Highway Patrol |
| Corr. Lt. III Anthony Lynn Hardie | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Sgt. LaShonda Owens | Northampton County Sheriff’s Office |
| Deputy Joseph Brandon Gore | Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office |
| Officer David Parde | Lexington Police Department |
| Deputy Logan Fox | Watauga County Sheriff’s Office |
| Sgt. Christopher David Ward | Watauga County Sheriff’s Office |
| Officer Robert Craig Cloninger | Mount Gilead Police Department |
| Deputy Sheriff Dennis Dixon | Catawba County Sheriff’s Office |
| Deputy Eric Otis Ritter | Moore County Sheriff’s Office |
| Correctional Sergeant III Ledell Graham | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Probation/Parole Officer II Julie Ann Harper | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Captain David Edwin MacAlpine | New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office |
| K9 Officer Carl Proper | Kings Mountain Police Department |
| Chief Donald Hall | Magnolia Police Department |
| Sgt. Donald William Ramey | Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office |
| Officer Julio Cesar Herrera, Jr. | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department |
| Master Deputy William “Billy” Marsh | Rowan County Sheriff’s Office |
| Lt. William Oscar McMurtray | Burke County Sheriff’s Office |
| Corr. Lt. II Dennis Eugene Boykin | NC Department of Public Safety |
| Officer Ryan Hayworth | Knightdale Police Department |
| Sgt. Michael Shannon McDonald | Winston-Salem Police Department |
| Officer Mia Danielle Figueroa-Goodwin | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department |
The ceremony was hosted by Englewood Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, NC, and featured speakers and presentations from local and statewide leaders, including (In order of appearance)
- Attorney General Josh Stein, NCDOJ
- Chief Robert Hassell, Rocky Mount PD
- Secretary Eddie M. Buffaloe, Jr, NCDPS
- Sheriff Keith Stone, Nash County Sheriff’s Office
- Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office
- Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., NCSHP
- President Randy Hagler, NC Fraternal Order of Police
- Chaplain Phil Wiggins, NC Fraternal Order of Police
Directly after the service, the nearly 1000 attendees assembled in front of the church to witness exhibitions from the NCSHP Caisson Unit, the NC Wildlife Commissions’ Rifle Team, and a fly-over from the NCSHP’s Aviation unit before concluding for Lunch sponsored by the NC Fraternal Order of Police. The appreciation of the North Carolina Justice Academy is extended to all statewide and local participating organizations in their support of making the state’s largest service successful.
A recording of the event can be viewed on the NCJA’s youtube page here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgGuabP1hw8
A comprehensive list of NC Honor Roll Officers can be viewed on the DOJ’s webpage here: https://ncdoj.gov/law-enforcement-training/law-enforcement-liason/peace-officers-memorial/
Training News
Leadership Certificate Program
NCJA celebrated the completion of the Leadership Certificate Program by thirteen members of NCJA-LI Session IV. These individuals have completed a minimum of 400 hours of training designed to enhance their skills and abilities as criminal justice leaders. They were presented the Leadership Certificate by NCJA Director Trevor Allen on April 22nd. Completing the LCP were Captain Caleb Ard (Kinston PD), Captain Brian Chavis (Aberdeen PD), Chief Robert Crosby (Pendleton, SC PD), Agent Karen Dalton (NCDMV), Lieutenant Tim Davis (Polk County SO), Lieutenant Brian Ehlschlager (Huntersville PD), Lieutenant David Halsey (Beaufort PD), Sergeant Thomas Marshburn (Onslow County SO), Executive Officer David McCoy (Mecklenburg County ABC), Sergeant James Munger (Leland PD), Sergeant Matt Norris (Dunn PD), Sergeant Billy Siebenhaar (Lincolnton PD), and Detective Tim Tucker (Beaufort PD).
Included in the ceremony was an appearance by Attorney General Josh Stein, who provided the keynote address, encouraging the class to always strive toward excellence in leadership. NCJA thanks Mr. Stein for taking the time to honor this class and for his continued support of the NCJA-LI program. We would also like to thank each member of this cohort for your dedication and perseverance in accomplishing this goal! The NCJA-LI is a 120-hour course focused on leadership development and tackling issues that are most relevant to today’s criminal justice leaders.
One of the NCJA Leadership Institute highlights is selecting a student for the “Heart of a Leader” award. This person is chosen by their peers as the one who most demonstrates the attributes of the five leadership practices on which the course is focused. These practices are modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart. It came as little surprise (except maybe to him that the NCJA-LI Session IV recipient is Sergeant James Munger of the Leland Police Department. James’s outgoing personality and genuine love for others were apparent from the first week of the course and continued throughout the program. He was presented with this award on April 22 during the NCJA-LI graduation ceremony. Congratulations, Sergeant Munger, on this well-deserved recognition!
If you would like to learn more about the LCP, please contact the program coordinator, Kevin Tingen, at ktingen@ncdoj.gov, or visit https://ncdoj.gov/ncja/certificate-programs/ncja-leadership-certificate/.
IADLEST 2022 (Ft. Worth, TX)
Jessica Cook and Merrily Cheek presented two blocks of instruction at the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST). The instructors presented their first block on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. The presentation was entitled “Telling the Story through Scenario-Based Learning.” This block focused on advocating for scenario-based training in all learning platforms and discussed various ways to do this with a minimal budget and a little bit of imagination.
Their second block of instruction was taught on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. The title of this presentation was “Do you remember what I said? An instructor’s guide to ensuring the effectiveness of training.” This block focused on ensuring that our instructors are engaging learners through active questioning techniques. If you are interested in obtaining more information about these presentations, contact Jessica Cook or Merrily Cheek.
NCJA Becomes a Regional Training Center for the National De-escalation Training Center
The North Carolina Justice Academy has partnered with the National De-escalation Training Center to form the NDTC Mid-Atlantic Region. Centered on the Edneyville campus, the Mid-Atlantic region will provide training for officers throughout North Carolina as well as South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. NCJA Instructor/Developer Dan Grossi is the Director of the NDTC Mid-Atlantic Region, and Academy Instructor/Developer Paul Phelan was named the Director of the Hostage Negotiation Division.
De-escalation Principles and Practice, a two-day officer certification course, is offered on both campuses. Instructed by nationally certified NDTC instructors, this two-day course includes procedural justice, correct de-escalation language, officer adjustments for varying threat stages and environments, body language, conflict management, recognizing mental health and disability issues, and rapid personality identification using the exclusive DISC Esoterica® model. Using this method, the officer can address subjects’ motivations, needs, and underlying feelings and de-escalate, prevent escalation, reduce the possibility of use of force, possibly avoid arrest, or gain peaceful compliance.
Five-day train the trainer courses will be scheduled in the near future to build a network of training sites throughout the region. Officers will learn how to deliver the De-escalation Principles and Practice course effectively. At the end of the course, officers will be certified to deliver this officially licensed material and become part of the NDTC Mid-Atlantic training region.
If you have any questions about the officer certification course or would like more information about becoming a training site, contact Dan Grossi at (828) 393-2210 or dgrossi@ncdoj.gov.
Personnel Announcements/Updates
- The Justice Academy welcomes the following individuals to our team:
- Kim McPhail, Bookstore Assistant
- Shanine West, TV Media Services Coordinator
- Jordan Faircloth, Printshop Equipment Operator
- Tracy Fisher, Temp Employee, Printshop/Bookstore
- Brittany Alston, Temp Employee, Video Unit
Weathering the Storm
Jessica Bullock Cook, Instructor/Developer, North Carolina Justice Academy
When I teach an Instructor Training class, I always have at least one student who wants to complete their presentation on overcoming trauma. To me, this shows that our students are asking for and trying to learn about ways to overcome the trauma that we all experience at some point in our criminal justice careers. This inspired me to develop a program to help the criminal justice family that I hold so dear to my heart.
When I began sharing my vision, I learned that others were willing to help, including the North Carolina Victims Assistance Network (NCVAN). Jane Allen Wilson, the Director of Training at NCVAN, approached me with a similar idea. NCVAN and the North Carolina Justice Academy (NCJA) have been looking at ways to work together to assist first responders in overcoming the trauma that we experience in our jobs. Ms. Wilson and I then began collaborating with others who had a passion for helping first responders. Our team consists of the following individuals:
- Jane Allen Wilson, Director of Training and Special Projects (NCVAN)
- Paul Phelan, an instructor at NCJA, trauma counselor, and peer support specialist
- Susan Gillis, an instructor at NCJA and peer support specialist
- Matthew May, Captain of the Patrol Division for Wake Forest Police Department
- Chris Braddy, Sergeant with Nags Head Police Department
- Charles Lambert, Director of the North Carolina State Capitol Police
- Teia Poulin, Police Training Specialist with Cary Police Department and Peer Team Leader with the North Carolina Law Enforcement Assistance Program
- Jessica Bullock Cook, an instructor at NCJA
Our team has a vision, and we are working together with the goal of assisting first responders. Weathering the Storm is a program divided into three phases.
The first phase of the program is a two-day class. In this class, students will receive training about what vicarious trauma is. Vicarious trauma is an “indirect exposure to trauma.”1 Some examples of vicarious trauma include the following:
A child calls emergency services to report a domestic disturbance involving their caretakers. It becomes difficult for telecommunicators to get necessary safety information for the officers without traumatizing the child. As a telecommunicator, you cannot physically assist. You can only listen and send assistance, which can be frustrating, especially if you hear screams, the child begging for help, and saying things like, “please make him stop hurting my mommy.”
An officer responds to do a well-being check. The officer locates a deceased female with a suicide note indicating that she had been raped years before. The note explains that her rapist was arrested and charged but found not guilty. She wrote she would “never feel safe again.”
Criminal justice professionals encounter instances like the above daily. Each of the two-day classes will assist with identifying vicarious trauma in yourselves and others. The classes will also focus on how we can cope with it and continue to do the good work of helping others. The dates and locations that the two-day classes were taught are listed below:
- April 11-12 (Salemburg)
- April 13-14 (Wake Tech)
- April 21-22 (Samarcand)
After students take part in phase one, they can enroll in phase two.
The second phase of the program involves a wellness retreat. Students will be able to attend a wellness retreat in Macon County to help them identify coping strategies and focus on sustainable mindfulness activities that integrate into the rhythms of daily living at work and home. The hope is that they will leave renewed and armored with ways to help themselves and others not only cope but thrive. The retreat portion will be organized and operated by Richard Goerling. Richard is a certified mindfulness trainer, military veteran, and former law enforcement officer. He travels throughout the United States and internationally, helping law enforcement learn ways to become more resilient and “thrive amidst hard circumstances.”2 Lodging and meals are provided to all students who attend the wellness retreat. The NCVAN received grant funding from the Governor’s Crime Commission to pay for the costs associated with phases two and three.
The third phase involves NCVAN and the Department of Justice (DOJ) working with two departments. NCVAN will provide technical and training support to these agencies. Both departments will participate in utilizing the Office for Victims of Crimes (OVC) Toolkit on Vicarious Trauma. Legal consultations will be made available to review any policy changes as needed. The third phase will end with the creation of a support group to assist those who experience vicarious trauma. This group will provide a statewide confidential, peer-based, co-facilitated virtual support group.
We hope that by offering this training and these resources, we are able to positively impact first responders who may be weathering the storm of vicarious trauma.
“In the end, no matter how committed we are to our careers, no matter how much we love our families, our careers and relationships will depend on our health and wellness. Without our mental and physical health, we cannot thrive.”3
References
- United States Department of Justice. 2022. “Introduction to Vicarious Trauma for Law Enforcement.” Office for Victims of Crime. Accessed February 23, 2022. https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/media/document/vt_intro_to_vt_for_law_enforcement-508.pdf.
- Mindful Badge. 2020. “About.” Accessed February 14, 2022. https://www.mindfulbadge.com/about.
- Hutchison, Jaimie. 2022. “Recognizing and Overcoming Burnout.” North Carolina Department of Justice.
Police Chiefs Institute
Chief David L. Hess, Roxboro Police, NCACP Past President
Amber Cox-Burgess, Instructor/Developer, North Carolina Justice Academy
Police chiefs have considerable influence in their community with citizens, employees, and elected officials. Utilizing the North Carolina Chiefs of Police Association (NCACP) network allows a police chief to tap into statewide resources, influence legislative matters, and remain informed on current trends impacting law enforcement statewide.
Paramount to the achievement of any organization’s goals is the development of a Strategic Plan. A Strategic Plan is a document that outlines Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (S.W.O.T), short-term and long-term goals, and an expected timeline to achieve those goals. NCACP adopted a Strategic Plan in April of 2017. One of the opportunities outlined in the strategic plan was to develop 21st-century police leadership. At the winter conference in 2018, the Association, in partnership with the Justice Academy, hosted a pilot course called the New Chiefs course. The sixteen-hour course graduated twenty-five students. The following year, the course graduated fifty students. While course participants found the topics relevant and beneficial, they also expressed a desire to attend the general training hosted at the conference.
Over the next year, the Association expanded the pilot program courses into a robust forty-hour leadership institute.
The course is designed to educate police chiefs, command staff, and aspiring police chiefs. The curriculum also includes the history, purpose, and benefits of the North Carolina Chiefs of Police Association. The course curriculum is for current command staff members, newly appointed chiefs of police, and aspiring police chiefs. Students must currently serve as a sergeant or higher to enroll. The course curriculum includes leadership training, fiscal management, policy considerations, personnel law, ethics training, and professional networking. The cost of the training is $250.00, payable to the Association. Qualified participants can register for the class through their Acadis account on the Justice Academy’s website.
While the North Carolina Justice Academy and the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police have worked in partnership for years to enhance the profession and the individuals who serve, the collaboration reached a new level this year with the inaugural presentation of the Police Chiefs Institute. The first session was held on the Salemburg campus from March 28th through April 1st, 2022. The Institute presented topics relevant to current and prospective chiefs. NCJA subject matter experts provided instruction on many issues, including budgeting, policy development, and public records law.
The NCJA instructors featured during the week were Tom Bashore, Carlton Joyner, Casson Reynolds, and Kevin Tingen. External instructors included James Fisher Davis from Equilibrium Up and Matt and Chief Harry Dolan from Dolan Consulting Group. The week’s highlight was a roundtable Q and A session facilitated by Winston Salem Police Chief Catrina Johnson. Panelists during this session were Wallace Police Chief James Crayton, Wallace Town Manager Laurence Bergman, and Wilson’s Mills Police Chief AZ Williams.
On April 1st, 2022, twenty-nine individuals graduated from the Police Chiefs Institute. Apex Police Department Deputy Police Chief Mitch McKinney was elected Class President and spoke at the graduation ceremony. Executive Director Bill Hollingsed, NCCU Police Chief Damon Williams, and NCJA Deputy Director of Operations Barbara Moore presided over the ceremony. Attendees were presented with a certificate and an NCJA challenge coin.
In the future, the course will be offered twice yearly; at the Salemburg campus in the spring and the Edneyville campus in the fall.
State Requirements Could Change Wellness Outlook for Officers and Agencies
Merrily Cheek, Instructor/Developer, North Carolina Justice Academy
One of the directives in Senate Bill 300, later signed into law, includes research that could ultimately affect our certified personnel’s ongoing wellness and fitness. (Criminal justice reform. North Carolina, Senate Bill 300. (2021) Part VII, § 7. (h))
Before SB 300 existed, I reached out to faculty at Appalachian State University. I was looking for a research partner also interested in exploring the link, if any, between job performance and overall wellness. It appeared that, if any significant changes in fitness standards were to occur, they would need to be at the state level (through Commission directives or Administrative Code changes) rather than relying on individual agencies to be solely responsible for the change. Before SB 300 passed, we were already meeting with Appalachian State University faculty to consider a process that closely examined officer wellness issues. SB 300 solidified our purpose and established a definitive focus and timetable.
Anecdotally, at least, it appears that agency heads share some common concerns about implementing fitness standards within their agencies. Many are concerned with injury, employment sanctions if an officer cannot meet a higher fitness standard, liability issues surrounding such employment actions, risk of injury while qualifying on a course such as POPAT, and the difficulty that older officers may experience if held to the same standard as younger officers. These are all understandable concerns. However, it seemed that there must be a way to offer education, in the form of evidence-based research, to address these concerns while emphasizing the correlation between wellness and job performance. Further research could indicate less of a correlation or could validate the concerns of the agency heads.
Why look at this issue now? As hiring and retention remain a problem in the field, it could be counter-intuitive to pursue this research question at this time. However, it makes more sense when wellness is looked at as a whole. SB 300 mandated mental wellness training, too. By incorporating both a mental and physical aspect, the legislature exercised forethought that wellness should be approached holistically.
Additionally, our students continue to weigh in. When instructors are in the classroom teaching, it is an excellent opportunity to ask them questions about their beliefs regarding minimum training and education, including how they feel about ongoing fitness standards, wellness programs, and the general state of affairs in their agencies and within the state. In my experience, students are overwhelmingly supportive of agency or state-level requirements setting officer wellness standards. While not all of these students are in command positions now, many very likely will be at some point in their careers. With their proactive mindset and willingness to innovate, they are in an ideal position to implement research recommendations. Their interest, backed by legislative and Commission support and sound science, can positively influence wellness.
Dr. Christopher Marier leads the research efforts in response to the legislative mandate. Dr. Marier is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, earning his Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of South Florida. He also has prior law enforcement experience. Dr. Marier will likely pursue further research on the topic based on the data collected and the findings from our study.
Chief Chris Blue of the Chapel Hill Police Department and Chairman of the Criminal Justice Commission formed a working group shortly after the passage of the Bill to begin looking at how to best work towards the mandate. Director Allen and I joined the group since we were already looking at this issue. Other members also included Gaston County Sheriff and Chairman of the Sheriffs’ Commission Alan Cloninger, Criminal Justice Standards Director Jeffrey Smythe, Sheriffs’ Standards Director Diane Konopka, Lt. Shelly Katkowski of the Burlington Police Department, and legal representation from the North Carolina Department of Justice.
Each member’s contributions were unique. Chief Blue and Sheriff Cloninger represent their Commissions and ensure that the process satisfied the mandate. The Justice Academy’s role was as a liaison between the researchers and the Commissions, helping to navigate logistical challenges, peer-review any communication between our Working Group, agency leaders, and the field, and generally facilitating whatever was needed for a smooth partnership and a quality product. The Directors of the Standards Divisions maintain contact information for those from whom the study seeks to learn. Lt. Katkowski is committed to promoting officer wellness, and her agency has experience with implementing officer wellness programs. A legal voice was included to ensure we correctly addressed any liability concerns regarding the research methodology, appropriately communicated the findings to stakeholders, and understood the impact of potential employment actions hinging on any altered standards.
The first step of what will likely be a multi-stage approach consisted of surveying agency leaders about wellness initiatives at their agencies. This included providing information on any nutritional, fitness, mental health, mindfulness, financial, or spiritual wellness programs. The survey asked about incentives and any challenges to implementing programs (financial, liability, lack of interest from staff, etc.). Law enforcement and detention officers were asked to self-report on any physical or mental health challenges primarily due to their profession, services they have accessed through their employer or on their own, what would entice them to participate in a wellness program sponsored by their agency, etc., and various questions relating to job performance and wellness.
The partners’ role was to conduct the research and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety. An initial report on the findings was provided to both the Sheriffs’ and Criminal Justice Commissions. The project will likely be a multi-layered research process, yielding valuable information suitable for future research on the topic beyond just the original mandate.
I am encouraged by the steps lawmakers have taken with SB 300 to recognize a possible need for ongoing fitness standards. We look forward to communicating our findings with legislative leaders, law enforcement leaders, and the men and women whom this will affect.
Let Us Hear from You!
Remember to like us on Facebook and Twitter to get daily updates and pictures from our classes. Also, feel free to call or email me with your suggestions for training. We are here for you!
Trevor Allen,
NCJA Director
Phone: 910-525-4151
