P.E.A.P. Was started in September 1984 by Detective Ed Jensen and a Lieutenant named Jerry Keller. They felt it was critical to respond to the scene of a shooting, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide immediate emotional support to the involved officers. Shootings were the initial focus because 3 out of 5 officers involved in a shooting would quit within one year of the event. In 1984 this statistic was true both on our department and nationwide. With an average of 15 officer-involved shootings each year we would lose a lot of officers if this statistic were still true. Fortunately in the 17 years that PEAP has been around only one officer has quit as the direct result of a shooting.

Lt. Keller, who was previously assigned to the Internal Affairs Bureau, developed an interest in helping officers who were having difficulties in the performance of their duties. This came as a result of viewing citizen complaints of officer misconduct. He believed that if these officers were identified early on and helped through awareness training they could become productive and efficient officers again.

How it expanded

Since 1984 the PEAP focus has expanded to include those stressors that are unique to law enforcement. Det. Jensen and Lt. Keller realized that both civilian and commissioned employees experienced stressors that affected their ability to work. Together they began to wonder just what it was about the law enforcement job and lifestyle that resulted in high rates of divorce, heart disease, alcoholism and suicide.

Police officers are trained to handle everything.., everything except their own emotions. In the past officers who experienced critical incidents were expected to accept it as part of the job, return to work and function normally as if nothing ever happened. This "stuff it" method of handling emotions revolves around the theory that "if I can't see it then I won't feel it either" And this method works. For a little while.

Just imagine an emotional backpack slung casually over one shoulder. When you ignore an emotion you toss it in your pack. It seems to go away. Over the course of your career you continue to "stuff it" but your pack can only hold so much. Sometimes all it takes is a driver running their mouth on a car stop to be that last straw. How much more devastating would it be to experience a shooting while your pack is already full? Pay now or pay later.

A need for somewhere to turn

Depending on who you talk to, about 80% of police marriages end in divorce. It's no wonder if you consider the communication skills that we learn as cops. We ask them nicely, tell them and then invite 30 of our best buddies to come over and make bad guys do exactly what we want. One way or another we always win the conflict. This is how we conduct business and stay safe on the street but it just doesn't work in marriage.

Officers have higher rates of heart disease and our alcoholism rate is twice the national average. One reason is that we learn mistrust as a coping skill. In the academy officers are taught that everything that comes out of a person's mouth is a lie, until proven otherwise. That works as an interview approach but not in our personal lives. It's no wonder we can't unload our backpacks when we don't trust enough to share with anyone.

Officers are 8 times more likely to kill themselves than to die by homicide. Every 22 hours an officer in this country chooses suicide as an escape from the pain. The packs on their backs become so heavy and painful that death seems easier than living. Something needs to be done. There is a tremendous need for somewhere to turn.

Who we are

We aren’t counselors, therapists or nuclear physicists. We are peers with a variety of life experiences. People who have been there. We don’t give advice (not even fashion advice) because we don’t live with the consequences, you do. We are simply there to lend an ear and offer supportive honest feedback. Most times it is enough to unload your backpack to someone willing to listen and keep it confidential.

PEAP is led by Sgt. Tom Harmon. He was hired as a Metro office in 1985 and has been assigned to PEAP since 1994. There are 3 other peer counselors who work with Tom. Melissa Causey has been with Metro since 1996 and became PEAP’s first civilian in October 2000. Det. Pat Febbraro was hired as a Metro officer in 1989 and became a PEAP Peer Counselor in February 2001. Finally, Det. Lisa Flahive was hired in 1994 and has been with PEAP since July 2001.

Together, the 4 PEAP members provide a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, personalities, and styles.

What we do

We are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week for crisis intervention. We respond to all officer- involved shootings, serious accidents and injuries, and give death notifications. After a critical incident we provide follow-up contact with those affected and one-on-one or group debriefings. In addition to that we have regular office hours when we meet with employees or talk on the phone. The PEAP staff teaches about 50 classes a year including Post-Shooting Trauma, Death and Grief Issues and Communication Skills.

Sometimes people want more than our short-term help. We give referrals to counselors, psychologists, chaplains and other professionals if that is needed. We don't keep records or lists of who wants a referral and it can be done anonymously on the phone, too.

Why does it work?

There's no great secret to why PEAP is successful. We don't hold hands and chant or spread magic fairy dust on those in pain. Simply telling your story to someone who is willing to listen without judging promotes healing. It unloads weight from the sometimes crippling weight of your backpack.

Talking is a bit like defragmenting a disk drive. It reorganizes the critical incidents of your life into manageable parcels and most importantly it makes room for the next one. In law enforcement there will always be another critical incident. If we can process it in a healthy manner then it won't be as devastating.

PEAP Q&A

1. Do I have to be commissioned to call PEAP?

ANY department member can call and get help, civilian or commissioned. Their family members can also get help.

2. What if I don't want help?

No one will force you to talk. We're not going to put you in a headlock and pull your hair until you tell us your issues. Some people already have healthy support systems in place that they can turn to. That's great and we won't get in the way of that. All we can do is be there and offer to help. If that help is unwanted or not needed just tell us and we won't be offended. PEAP cannot be used as a form of discipline, either.

3. Is it really confidential?

The two exceptions to confidentiality are if you tell us about a felony crime or are an immediate threat to yourself or others. Otherwise what you say remains with us. We don't report what you say to your supervisor even if it is about them. You can even call and talk without giving your name if you feel more comfortable. We don't keep any records or take notes and nothing will be placed in your file.

4. Do I need to get permission from my supervisor?

No permission is needed to call PEAP. There would be no trust if you had to clear it with your boss first.

5. Why didn't 't you call me when I was ...(your issue here) ?

If we don't know about your crisis we can't help you through it. Our office is off-site for confidentiality. That means that we don't hear some of the things that are going on. It takes an email or phone call to let us know when someone has died or has cancer, etc. If you want us to contact someone and not mention your name we can do that, too.

6. When can PEAP help?

Grief / Loss Issues
Marriage/ Divorce/ Relationship
Parent /Child Conflicts
Critical Incidents
Job Stress (Chronic /Acute)
Stress of Everyday Living Substance Abuse Problems
Death Notifications
Seriously Injured Employees
Critical Incident
Stress Debriefings
Any Other Type of Problem

7. What is a critical incident?

A critical incident is ANY situation that overwhelms a person's sense of control and their ability to cope . Common critical incidents for law enforcement are line of duty shootings, getting shot or seriously injured, suicides, or child abuse. But they can be something very minor, too. If you have unresolved business in your backpack sometimes what seems like a minor event can trigger a traumatic reaction. Depending on what baggage people are already carrying, one person may perceive an homicide as minor while their partner on the same call may be overwhelmed with emotion. Both reactions are normal.

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