Program Synopsis

 

Peer Support in Law Enforcement has evolved over many years from programs
developed within various law enforcement agencies.

Additionally, we have assisted in the establishment of programs in the

Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Office,

DuPage County Sheriff's Office, McHenry Sheriff's Office,

 and many Illinois Suburban Departments,

​

The program is intended for entry-level participants
who have been chosen as peer support team members.
The program is consistent with accepted industry standards, the guidelines
for peer support as proffered by the International Association of Chiefs of
Police (IACP) and reviews of other law enforcement programs and peer support as a
discipline.
It is heavily influenced by previous experiences in peer support, crisis hotline
training and related behavior sciences. The overall philosophy is that peer
support comes from within the peer support team member, from his or her
own experiences, and from the recognition of one’s own feelings.
That is the starting point for understanding crisis, stress, suicide, bereavement,
crisis communication skills, the model known as Critical Incident Stress
Debriefing, boundaries, confidentiality and other pertinent information to
prepare the team member to intervene in a personal crisis, as well as, a critical
incident.
Lecture, discussion, personal introspection, sharing and intense role-plays
are the methods generally utilized in the training. Critiques from over 1500
past participants have supported this training as the definitive starting point
for a peer support team member.