Chaplain Corps supports law enforcement
Courtesy photo Bonners Ferry Police Chief Brian Zimmerman, Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer, Boundary County Chaplain Corps Len Pine, and Boundary County Undersheriff Rich Stephens, with the new books provided to them by the Chaplain Corps.
At a recent Boundary County Emergency Management tabletop exercise, an issue was raised concerning the emotional and mental toll that law enforcement personnel experience in the performance of their duties. That strain is not just something that officers experience; their families also feel the pressure and see the effects of the dangers and stresses of the job which come home with their loved ones.
In an effort to provide some tools for dealing with the stress and human cost of the law enforcement profession, Boundary County Chaplain Corps obtained a supply of an internationally recognized resource for first responders and their families. The book is called “Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families,” by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin.
A 20-year law enforcement veteran, Dr. Gilmartin has identified the emotional rollercoaster that officers often experience on a daily basis (hyper-vigilance, drive, and energy at work; indifference and “couch potato” behavior at home), and which dramatically affects all their relationships on and off the job.
He not only identifies the issues related to that daily rollercoaster, but also provides practical tools for dealing with it effectively so that officers and their families break the career cycle of enthusiasm/apathy/despair that all too often results in broken relationships, addictions, and even suicide.
Boundary County Chaplain Corps is honored to supply these books in the hopes that the tools Gilmartin describes will help our local officers perform their tasks better, and go home happier. That benefits our entire community.