Peer support can be an important first step in an officer wellness strategy. In times of struggle or crisis, an officer may feel more comfortable initially seeking support from a peer who understands the context and has experienced the same stressors.

However, the real or perceived challenges of establishing peer support services may seem daunting, particularly in small and rural agencies that may have fewer officers, smaller budgets, and expansive geography. There are ways to address these challenges that put peer support services within reach of agencies regardless of size or location.

For two years, the IACP, in partnership with Cop2Cop/Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, has been working with cohorts of small and rural law enforcement agencies in Oregon, Virginia, and South Carolina to provide training and technical assistance to establish peer support services and has collected a set of best practices.

To support the implementation of peer support services in small and rural agencies, the IACP compiled these best practices to create a new resource, Implementing Peer Support Services in Small and Rural Law Enforcement Agencies. This guidebook offers considerations and case studies that address common challenges, and it provides a roadmap for agencies to implement or enhance peer support services.

While an agency’s leadership may understand the value of peer support, knowing where to start or what is feasible can be challenging. Peer support can look different in every agency, depending on needs and circumstances; however, there are enough similarities to use lessons learned from other agencies as a guide.

Consider Needs, Goals, & Resources

An initial step to implementing successful peer support services is engaging with stakeholders and getting buy-in. Stakeholders can include the agency head and command staff, patrol officers and their families, mental health service providers, and community leaders. Educating staff on the benefits of incorporating peer support as one of many tools in a comprehensive officer wellness program can help destigmatize asking for help. Having command-level personnel championing the program will be beneficial, as leadership sets the tone for the rest of the agency.

A brief survey or focus group can gather information about employees’ needs, perceptions about peer support, and the likelihood of using a peer support program. Peer support services can be broadly grouped into three areas: prevention, intervention, and postvention. Agencies may start with a specific type of peer support and add additional functions as the program evolves. Starting small with one aspect can make peer support accessible to departments with fewer resources.

When thinking about needs and resources, agencies may find it beneficial to partner with neighboring jurisdictions to build a program together and provide mutual aid to each other. Doing so can allow an officer to seek support from someone in another organization, which provides an additional layer of anonymity and confidentiality in a small department.

Administrative Considerations

Written policies governing the peer support program are highly recommended and should be accessible to all personnel. The IACP Police Psychological Services Section’s Peer Support Guidelines include considerations for policy development. State and local jurisdictional statutes may address peer support programs and confidentiality standards, and an agency’s legal advisor should review the policy before implementation.

Many agencies have minimal expenditures for peer support programs beyond staff time. However, some earmark funds as part of their general training budget or under the umbrella of officer wellness activities. Grants, such as the COPS Office’s Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Program funds, may be available to assist with these programmatic expenses.

Select and Train the Team

Selecting individuals who are well suited to the role of peer supporter is an essential step to building support that officers will feel comfortable using. Being compassionate, ethical, and well respected in the department—and respectful of confidentiality—should be key qualifiers in the selection process. An individual’s performance in the core requirements of the job can also be considered. In addition to sworn and civilian personnel, the team may include a chaplain and a licensed mental health clinician.

The peer support program’s scope and focus will determine the team’s training needs and will vary from agency to agency. Training may include communication skills, resilience-building and stress management, crisis intervention, substance abuse, suicide risk assessment and intervention, local resources, wellness and self-care, as well as when to make referrals to a qualified mental health provider.

Developing and Sustaining Programs

Implementing Peer Support Services in Small and Rural Law Enforcement Agencies provides small and rural agencies with the information needed to implement a peer support initiative, including the following topics:

• • • Engaging supportive command staff
    • Establishing trust and buy-in
    • Identifying team members and leaders
    • Surveying needs and setting goals
    • Being clear on confidentiality requirements
    • Writing a policy and creating a budget
    • Initial and ongoing training of the team
    • Promoting peer support services to employees
    • Metrics and evaluation
    • Supporting the peer support team
    • Partnering with neighboring agencies and qualified mental health professionals

This new resource includes an executive summary that can serve as a checklist of important factors that agencies will want to consider when implementing peer support services.d

Please cite as:

Patty J. Brady, “Peer Support in Small and Rural Agencies,” IACP@Work, Police Chief 89, no. 12 (December 2022): 64–65.