Resilience is the ability to navigate adversity and grow and thrive in the face of challenges.

The Law Enforcement Resilience Training Program, developed by the IACP; the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center; and the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), defines resilience not by the ability to bounce back from or ignore hardships, but rather by the ability to grow and learn from them.

During this unprecedented period of challenges and stressors for law enforcement, this definition and concept of resilience certainly resonates as we look to ensure not only the safety of our communities, but also the safety of those within our agencies. We, at the IACP and as a field, are continuing to evaluate and address the evolving physical and mental health needs of officers in this difficult time.

One of the most important components of resilience is connectedness, both on the job and at home. The IACP embraces this concept in numerous ways through our safety and wellness work by providing strategies, training, and resources to enhance officer resilience.

In March, I was proud to kick off the annual IACP Officer Safety and Wellness Symposium, a three-day event that brought officers of all ranks together with leading subject matter experts in physical, mental, and occupational wellness. With more than 875 participants logged into the virtual platform each day, this event has tripled in attendance over the past three years, showing the growing importance of this topic to the field. This event was an important opportunity to broaden the conversation around safety and wellness, connect with peers, and learn from the challenges and best practices of our global partners.

“One of the most important components of resilience is connectedness.”

Recognizing the value of collaborating across disciplines, the IACP partnered with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the Education Development Center, and BJA to convene the National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide (the Consortium). The Consortium represents the first of its kind—a group of experts and stakeholders in law enforcement, mental health, and suicide prevention, all with the common goal of preventing officer suicide. The group consists of more than 30 members, and the representatives provide different lenses through which the Consortium has been able to assess the issue of law enforcement suicide unlike ever before. In October 2020, the Consortium released a final report and toolkit with comprehensive strategies for agencies to implement that can assist in preventing officer suicide and supporting officer mental health.

Peer support is a powerful resource for police in addressing stress management, mental health concerns, suicide prevention, and overall officer safety and wellness. IACP’s new suicide prevention toolkit includes a resource to help enhance these services in the field. This resource outlines how peer support can best integrate suicide prevention strategies to support fellow officers and offers considerations for peers to maintain their own wellness.

The IACP also recently partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and the Cop2Cop program at Rutgers University to expand law enforcement peer support resources for small and rural communities.

In addition to peers, officers’ families provide important connections and support to help maintain health and wellness. The IACP continues to grow its collection of resources to meet the needs of law enforcement families. The recent civil unrest and conversations around policing have taken a toll not only on officers, but also on their families, particularly their children. This month’s IACP@Work column shares tips from the newly released Resilience: Keys to Helping Law Enforcement Children Thrive booklet that has been created by the IACP to assist law enforcement parents with developing their children’s resilience. With support from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, IACP’s Law Enforcement Family Support Training and Technical Assistance Program recently released an assessment tool and virtual engagement resource to help agencies plan programming to support their law enforcement families.

At the IACP, we strongly believe in supporting a culture of safety and wellness for law enforcement officers around the world. It has been inspiring to see the momentum, energy, and commitment to finding new ways to support our officers who dedicate their lives to service.

Pleas cite as

Cynthia E. Renaud, “Enhancing Officer Resilience and Growth,” President’s Message, Police Chief 88, no. 5 (May 2021): 6–7.