Clarksville lieutenant starts peer support team to combat the trauma of police work

CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- From homicides to crimes against children. police officers see it all. And every day, they respond to traumatic crime scenes, which can take a toll on their mental health.

So the Clarksville Police Department is stepping up to take care of its own.

"This job is harder than it's ever been," said Lt. Jeff Kennedy, who's spent 23 years in law enforcement. "There's parts of me that I'll never be whole again because of this job."

Trauma lurks around every corner. Just this past Memorial Day weekend was an example, a fun day in the sun ending in tragedy when firefighters and officers responded to the drowning of A.J. Edwards Jr. in Silver Creek.

"You suppress that trauma because now you're going to the next scene," Kennedy said.

And, in Kennedy's eyes, a brighter tomorrow for Clarksville's streets starts in-house. When the Clarksville Police Department changed leadership in January he saw an opening to bring mental health to the forefront of the department.

"When we leave scenes, we take that with us," Clarksville Police Chief Nathan Wells said Friday. "What he's doing and what our department's doing right now is going to be generational change in policing for our town."

There was no blueprint to copy, but Kennedy is spearheading a peer support team within the department. A clinical advisor, pastor and three other officers work alongside him, all of whom have received 50 hours of training, including crisis intervention.

"Because mental health in law enforcement is so stigmatized, we hope to be a buffer in house," Kennedy said.

When an officer responds to a scene that may be triggering, Kennedy and the team meet with them one-on-one to unpack the issues.

"What you're feeling is normal," Kennedy said "It's unfortunate that you got sent to that call, but we're here for you, and we will get you all the help that you would possibly need."

The peer support team hopes to officially launch in July 2024, but officers can already go to Kennedy's office to talk about their mental health.