GO 570.0420 - Peer Support Program

SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS G.O. 570.04 1 OF 2 570.04 PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM 09-16-91 PURPOSE To define the implementation and function of the Peer Support Program for Sacramento Police Department employees. POLICY To help Department personnel through a traumatic cr itical incident, and reduce the likelihood or effects of post-trauma stress reactions by implementing the Peer Support Program. PROCEDURE The Peer Support Program consists of select ing and training qualified personnel for immediate response to critical incidents, su ch as officer-involved shooting. A. PARTICIPANTS The Peer Support Program shall c onsist of the following personnel: 1. Captain, Staff Services Division - “Program Coordinator”2. Police Chaplains3. Selected Police Officers4. Selected Dispatchers5. Selected Psychologists B. SELECTION CRITERIA Employees interested in participating in the Peer Support Program shall submit a memorandum expressing their desire to do so. The memorandum shall be forwarded, through the chain of command, to the Captain, Staff Services Divisi on. For selection to participate in the program, employees shall meet the following criteria:1. Have endorsement of their Watch or Division Commander and Office Chief.2. Not have any work restrictions due to psychological stress.3. Is not the object of a serious or major invest igation or suffering from serious or extreme personal problems. 4. Selection to participate in the program shall be made by the following panel: a. Office Chief, Office of Ad ministrative Services (OAS) b. A Captain, Staff Services Divisionc. A Captain, Office of Operations (OOO)d. A Captain, Office of Investigations (OOI)e. Manager, Communications Division C. TRAINING 1. Initial training shall be a 40-hour pos t-trauma debriefing course consisting of: a. Crisis Recognitionb. Crisis Intervention and Counselingc. Listening Skillsd. Assessment Skillse. Alcohol and Substance Abuse Identificationf. Departmental Policies and Procedures 2. Peer Support personnel shall participate in periodic training sessions with the psychologist assigned to the program. The tr aining may be on a monthly or bi-monthly basis at the discretion of the Program Coordinator. 3. The Program Coordinator shal l schedule and develop the training. D. DUTIES Peer Support personnel shall perform the following functions:1. Immediate response when called upon for Critical Traumatic Incidents. 2. Contact affected personnel to assess their needs and provide any necessary help. 3. Provide emotional support to involved personne l to diffuse any shock reaction they may be experiencing. SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS G.O. 570.04 2 OF 24. Provide information on possible reactions t he employee or their family may experience. 5. Suggest resources and referrals the employee or family members may require.6. Advise the employee of Departmental policies, procedures and other pertinent information. Make the employee aware of what actions and events to expect as a result of the incident. 7. Provide and work through the Department's post-trauma stress workbook with the employee when appropriate. 8. Be sure the employee gets home safely.9. Act as liaison between the employee and psychologist to ex plain the purpose and procedure of the mandated visit. 10. Contact the employee within three days after the incident, or as necessary, to determine if they can be of further help. E. WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM 1. Withdrawal: Personnel selected for the pr ogram shall agree to a commitment for a minimum of one year. If, however, serious per sonal or work-related problems arise which prevent continued participati on in the program the employee may request withdrawal. A memorandum to the Program Coordinator s hall be written delineating the reasons for withdrawal from the program. 2. Removal: Peer Support Personnel shall be removed from the Peer Support Program who:a. No longer meet the selection criteria.b. Are not effective in res ponse to a critical incident. c. Have not followed procedures set fort h in the Peer Support Manual or during training sessions. F. CONFIDENTIALITY 1. The most important aspect of the Peer S upport Program is the promotion of trust, anonymity and confidentiality. Therefor e, communications between Peer Support personnel and employees involved in critical incidents shall be confidential, with the following exceptions:a. There is child abuse involved.b. There is reason to believe that the em ployee intends to injure another person. c. The employee is involved with a felony crime.d. Where, due to substance abuse or other reasons, the employee is a clear and present danger to self, citiz ens or fellow employees. 2. If any of the above conditions exist t he employee's Watch or Division Commander and the Program Coordinator shall be notified. In the case of threatened injury, the intended victim shall also be notified. 3. These exceptions to conf identiality are either required by law or are necessary. Employees who become Peer Support members cannot abdicate their responsibilities to report criminal conduct. If concerns aris e, Peer Support personnel shall contact the Program Coordinator for guidance.