Participants learn about stressors affecting law enforcement and public safety professionals
BRENTWOOD, N.Y. (April 18, 2024) – More than 200 local law enforcement officials heard speakers discuss unique stressors that affect law enforcement and public safety professionals on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office’s first Wellness Conference at the Van Nostrand Theatre at the Grant campus of Suffolk County Community College.
The Wellness Conference was sponsored by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Foundation (SCSF). The SCSF works in tandem with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office to support community-based programming to reduce incidents of crime and recidivism, improve outcomes for at-risk individuals, and build positive relationships with members of law enforcement.
Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol Toulon, Jr. kicked off the Wellness Conference, which featured guest speakers discussing topics such as mental health, resilience, trauma and general wellness.
Guest speakers included Dr. James Vosswinkel of Stony Brook University discussing trauma and the stages of trauma within the law enforcement community, Wellness Officer Brent Schlafer with the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, and mental health therapist Belinda Schlafer discussing topics including stress management, understanding risk to develop resiliency, leadership, burnout prevention, the stress response system and how to develop plans to cope with stressors of a law enforcement career. Dr. Jeff Thompson discussed the AWE Project/Resiliency in Law Enforcement.
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office’s Wellness Unit, which began in late 2022, is the only full-time wellness unit within a law enforcement agency on Long Island. The Wellness Unit aims to strengthen the health and wellness of all Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office staff and provide peer support during times of need. Since inception, it has assisted officers more than 3,500 times, created a Trained Peer Support Team with 41 members and launched a Wellness Phone App that offers a “get help now” option that immediately connects a user to a variety of resources related to mental health and suicide.
With more than three centuries of continuous service, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office is the oldest law enforcement in Suffolk County, N.Y., and has become known as one of the most innovative law enforcement agencies and correctional systems in the country.
###
More information about the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Foundation and its activities can be found at https://www.suffolkcountysf.org.
