"It's o.k. to talk about your Mental Health."
My name is Adam and I am a Certified Peer Specialist in Wisconsin. I was a Police Officer in Wisconsin for 21 years. In April 2016, I was involved in a critical incident when I used deadly force against someone who armed themselves with a hatchet inside a busy Department store. This person died.
I have faced many personal and professional mental health challenges after my critical incident and it has taken me many years to get back on track. I would not have been successful with my mental health without the unwavering support of my Family, Friends, Colleagues, Counselors, and even Strangers. Thank you for your support!
My overall goal for establishing Stop The Threat - Stop The Stigma and speaking about my critical incident is to promote Law Enforcement Wellness and inspire other Law Enforcement Professionals, and those who work in the law enforcement profession, to speak about their own mental health.
The issue of mental health in law enforcement is prominent everywhere and it is an issue that commands a new perspective. Without advocacy and awareness, we will continue to wait until the crisis stage to address mental health for Police Officers and by then it may be too late.
The law enforcement culture tends to expect law enforcement officers to resist normal physiological responses to tragedies or critical incidents. This combination creates the perfect storm when law enforcement officers are not provided with the tools to deal with the effects of the profession.
Let's work together to Stop The Threat - Stop The Stigma.
Please contact me at adam@stopthethreatstopthestigma.org or (715) 869-3361 if you would like me to share my experience. Thank you.
