Politics & Government
Carmel Police Department Hosts PTSD Seminar
Officers were given steps to protect the mental and emotional health of themselves and their families throughout their careers.
Press release from Carmel PD:
March 19, 2023
On Thursday, March 16th, the Town of Carmel Police Department, in conjunction with the Public Employer Risk Management Association (PERMA) hosted Cattaraugus County, NY Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb for a Police Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) seminar.
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The all-day event, held at the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services Training and Operations (TOPS) Center highlighted the causes of PTSD in law enforcement officers and how officers can take steps to protect the mental and emotional health of themselves and their families throughout their careers. Sheriff Whitcomb, in his fourth term as Sheriff of Cattaraugus County outside of Buffalo, is a nationally known speaker on this topic and is sought after for his very engaging, highly personal presentation. PTSD among law enforcement officers is a major contributor to police suicide, whose annual numbers unfortunately are exceeding police officers killed in the line of duty in recent years.
Carmel PD was joined by over 50 fellow law enforcement officers from Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, and Westchester Counties, and from the state, county, and local levels. Carmel Police Chief Anthony Hoffmann thanked Sheriff Whitcomb and the troopers, deputies, officers, and probation officers for coming to the seminar for this vital topic. “Our officers cannot help the public if they are injured themselves, and PTSD is no different than any physical injury our men and women face on the street” said Chief Hoffmann. The chief also mentioned the recent introduction of the Carmel Police Department’s Peer Support Team and that the team has been deployed twice recently, once to offer aid to a nearby police agency and also to offer assistance to a member of the public experiencing a psychiatric crisis. As Sheriff Whitcomb said during the seminar, the goal of the presentation and of groups like the Peer Support Team is “to protect and serve those who protect and serve.”
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This press release was produced by Carmel PD. The views expressed here are the author's own.
