Author: Editor

John Marx was a Police Officer for twenty-three years and served as a Hostage Negotiator for nineteen of those years. He worked as a patrol officer, media liaison officer, crime prevention officer and burglary detective. Also during his career he served as administrator of his city's Community Oriented Governance initiative through the police department's Community Policing project. Today John combines his skills to consult with businesses about improving both their security and their customer service programs. John retired from law enforcement in 2002. When one of his friends, also a former police officer, committed suicide at age 38, John was devastated and began researching the problems that stress creates for police officers. He decided he needed to do something to help change those problems and he wanted to give something back to the profession that gave him so much. He started a project that has evolved into CopsAlive.com. Put simply, the mission of CopsAlive is to save the lives of those who save lives! CopsAlive.com gathers information, strategies and tools to help law enforcement professionals plan for happy, healthy and successful careers, relationships and lives.
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Great Article for Police Officers on Beating the Holiday Blues

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Here is a link to a great article on “Beating the Holiday Blues” by Dr. Beverly Anderson from “Gift From Within- PTSD Resources for Survivors & Caregivers”.

“COP TALK: Beating the Holiday Blues”
by Dr. Beverly Anderson
http://www.giftfromwithin.org/html/beating-the-holiday-blues.html

Dr. Anderson is the Clinical Director/Administrator of the Metropolitan Police Employee Assistance Program (MPEAP) in Washington, DC.

Have a Safe and Healthy Holiday Season!

CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers.  We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence.

We do this by Helping Law Enforcement professionals plan for happy, healthy and successful lives on the job and beyond.  We think the best strategy is for each officer to create a tactical plan for their own life and career.

The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) works with individuals and organizations to help them create and sustain success in their lives and careers as law enforcement professionals.  It is the primary goal of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to become the preeminent source for training, resources and information about how to create and sustain a happy, healthy and successful life and career while providing superior law enforcement service to your community.

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Please Donate to Safe Call Now’s End of the Year Giving Campaign!

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As we wind up a very successful year here at CopsAlive.com we ask that you consider giving to Safe Call Now in support of their ongoing efforts to save the lives of public safety employees and their families.  Without your help, they cannot continue to provide those much needed services to our first responders.  Every dollar donated, no matter how big or small, goes directly to help saving one of your own.  To make a secure online donation please visit: www.safecallnow.org or to donate by check: “Safe Call Now” – 2949 4th Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98134.  I invite you to show your support for law enforcement, police, and other public safety employees and their family members by donating to Safe Call Now.  Thank you for your support!

We at CopsAlive.com wish you all a safe and healthy holiday season!

Here is a personal message from Sean Riley the Executive Director of Safe Call Now:

These past years have been difficult for most of us – but for those struggling with a personal crisis – they have been devastating.

Safe Call Now is a 24-hour crisis referral service for public safety employees and their family members nationwide. Safe Call Now has a clear vision to help those in need find healthy alternatives, resources and education. Since it’s date of inception, Safe Call Now has placed over 100 public safety employees into substance abuse treatment and referred out over 2,000 families for services.
Now, more than ever – we need to do more. When you support Safe Call Now, you’ll have a direct and immediate impact of the lives of those who help protect us.
When you donate to Safe Call Now, you help provide:
live 24-hour crisis telephone referral services; a safe place to turn to get help from individuals who understand the demands of a public safety career and who may have endured the same struggles; continuing development of public safety special services; on-going training for public safety employees & their families; and most importantly YOU are saving lives, families & careers

It’s never been more important for us to support each other. I invite you to show your support for public safety employees and their family members in need by donating to Safe Call Now. Please visit our website to make a secure donation or pay by check to: “Safe Call Now” • 2949 4th Ave. South • Seattle, WA 98134.
To learn more about Safe Call Now’s work, check out www.safecallnow.org. Thank you for your support!
Happy holidays to you and your family!

Sincerely,
Sean Riley Executive Director
www.safecallnow.org

Safe Call Now is a registered 501(c)(3) organization with a Federal tax identification number of #26-3430343. No goods or services were provided in exchange for this donation.

CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers.  We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence.

We do this by Helping Law Enforcement professionals plan for happy, healthy and successful lives on the job and beyond.  We think the best strategy is for each officer to create a tactical plan for their own life and career.

The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) works with individuals and organizations to help them create and sustain success in their lives and careers as law enforcement professionals.  It is the primary goal of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to become the preeminent source for training, resources and information about how to create and sustain a happy, healthy and successful life and career while providing superior law enforcement service to your community.

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CopsAlive One of 20 Blogs Criminal Justice Students Will Love

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Rasmussen College has Listed CopsAlive as One of 20 Blogs Criminal Justice Students Will Love Written by Matthew Petz

Find it Here: “20 Blogs Criminal Justice Students Will Love” and you can also find it under “Best Blogs for Criminal Justice Students“.

Matthew Petz is the Director of the School of Justice Studies at Rasmussen College, leading programs in law enforcement, corrections , paralegal studies, and human services. Matt holds a Bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University and a Master’s degree from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, and has been a full-time licensed Minnesota peace officer since 1996

Rasmussen College’s School of Justice Studies focuses on many different aspects of the legal process — from law enforcement to the courts, and through the corrections process. By earning a degree from Rasmussen College, you will be prepared to enter into the justice field with the knowledge and ability to be successful in your future career.

You can earn a Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree through many of the justice studies programs offered at one of their multiple campuses. Their School of Justice Studies also offers courses in Law Enforcement Investigations, Corrections Client Services, Criminal Offenders, Homeland Security, Corrections, Law Enforcement and Psychology.

CLICK HERE to link to the Rasmussen College School of Justice Studies

Here is that link again:
http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/justice-studies/blog/best-blogs-for-criminal-justice-students/

CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers.  We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence.

We do this by Helping Law Enforcement professionals plan for happy, healthy and successful lives on the job and beyond.  We think the best strategy is for each officer to create a tactical plan for their own life and career.

The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) works with individuals and organizations to help them create and sustain success in their lives and careers as law enforcement professionals.  It is the primary goal of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to become the preeminent source for training, resources and information about how to create and sustain a happy, healthy and successful life and career while providing superior law enforcement service to your community.

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A Time for Law Enforcement to Give Thanks

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Many countries and cultures celebrate a day of thanks or harvest festival this time of year. W e in the United States celebrate our Thanksgiving Holiday this week based on the 1621 gathering of Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians who gave thanks for a bountiful harvest and their survival of the harsh conditions.

We in law enforcement have suffered a harsh year and perhaps should also give thanks for our survival, and thank those who have contributed to our lives.

Who do you need to say thank you to for your health, support and success?

Our spouses or the spouses of police officers everywhere. Police wives and spouses are the true backbone of this profession.

Our families or the family members of everyone in law enforcement.

If you are smart enough to have friends that are not in law enforcement, maybe you should say thanks for supporting you and trying to understand what a police officer goes through.

This week would be a great time to say thank you to your peers in law enforcement who keep you safe every day. Thank those in your agency as well as those who work for other police and sheriff’s agencies around you.

Say “thank you” to your Supervisors, SWAT Teams, Traffic Investigators, Air Support, and all specialized units.

Don’t forget to thank your law enforcement agency and other policing agencies… Continue reading

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Treatment for Cops and Dispatchers in Crisis

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I had the opportunity last week to interview Richard Worthy the president of both the Summer Sky and the soon to open Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch, a unique facility exclusively dedicated to the treatment of local, state and federal commissioned peace officers and dispatchers suffering from the career endangering and often deadly disease of alcohol and/or drug dependency and co-occurring disorders like PTSD. We were both participating in the first Safe Call Now Public Safety Conference and had a chance to sit down afterward and talk about what Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch can do for those in need of treatment.

You can listen to our 39 minute interview which was recorded in the church where the conference was held by clicking here:

Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch (EFA), is a 32 -bed inpatient facility located on a secluded 147 acre ranch in the Hills of Central Texas near the Town of Evant, and is scheduled to open in January of 2011. It will be a working ranch replete with longhorn steers, horses, goats and sheep that greet one as they enter the serenity of the ranch.

Their affiliated facility, Summer Sky in Stephenville Texas, is a 72-bed facility which has treated thousands of patients (adults and adolescents, males and females) for alcohol/drug dependency/abuse and co-occurring disorders since 1985. Summer Sky is available for the treatrment of officer’s spouses and children who may be suffering with addiction issues.

When it opens Eagle Force Academy (EFA) Treatment Center will treat only police officers and dispatchers and they will use Summer Sky for treatment of police family members if needed. As Richard told me this is for police officers and dispatchers if you are “Hired, Fired or Retired” and is meant to be a focused facility working only with these two groups when it opens in January.

Most importantly Eagle Force Academy will be a reasonably priced “for profit” business, but will work with you so that money is not a barrier to treatment. They will accept private pay and most major insurance and can facilitate 3rd party financing for qualified patients.

Further, distance is not an issue as EFA will offer FREE NATIONWIDE PATIENT TRANSPORT VIA GROUND AND/OR AIR to and from the Killeen/Ft. Hood Regional Airport which is just 1 hour away with… Continue reading

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Is Yoga a Four Letter Word to Cops?

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Let me introduce you to Nick Manci, a yoga instructor from Portland Oregon who wants to to help cops deal with their stress through yoga.

Nick’s form of yoga is a little more aggressive than the most common forms practiced in studios and classes because he says he is very in touch with the male energy that is common in law enforcement agencies.

The practice of Yoga is estimated to be over 5000 years old and traces it’s roots back in time to an origin in India. Many sources recommend yoga as stress management for police officers.

Currently, it is estimated that there are about 30 million people in America, and 1 million people in the United Kingdom practicing hatha yoga. Yoga (in the West) is an exercise-related and posture-related technique that involves gentle stretching, breath control and meditation.

According to Nick “The One Breath concept is a tool to systematically eradicate physical, psychological and emotional suffering that resides in the body caused by habit, addiction, situational stress, or past trauma. We do this by… Continue reading

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Police Stories: Making One Bit of Difference

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Did anyone ever tell you that despite all of your hard work in law enforcement that nothing you did would make one bit of difference?  Well that’s what one officer told a young Steve Dixon at the beginning of his police career but he didn’t believe it, and spent the next 36 years proving he could make a difference.

Steve had a long and varied career starting with 5 years in the Military Police.  Then after he got out of the Army he spent 11 years working for the Santa Clara Police Department in California, and he finished his career working for the San Jose Police Department in California for over 20 years.  He retired in 2008 as a Sergeant from San Jose PD.

Now that he is retired, Steve has written a book to prove that he did make One Bit of Difference, and with the book he is motivating all the rest of us to examine our career and for us to make a difference in our careers as well.

In “Police Stories: Making One Bit of Difference” Retired Sergeant Steve Dixon offers us a collection of stories and anecdotes from his career about the good and bad of police work.  The book, while written for cops, is not just for people in law enforcement and tells things like Steve saw them over 36 years as a cop.  Steve doesn’t pull all of his punches either, as he talks candidly about lazy cops and poor leadership in law enforcement.

Steve tells stories of shootings and high speed chases, of dangerous criminals and ineffective cops.  He describes a situation where he was holding a very dangerous suspect at gun point after calling for backup and then noticing that he wasn’t hearing any sirens coming to his aid.  He also describes the chaos of a robbery, homicide scene and the sometimes humorous activity from the many law enforcement agencies that responded.  He also explains a situation where he was in a standoff with two armed suspects, across the hood of a car after a high speed chase,… Continue reading

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How Far Would You Go to Save a Fellow Cop?

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How far would you go to save a fellow cop’s life?  Here is a great story about two brother officers at the Denver Police Department that will amaze you.  One police officer donates a kidney anonymously to save… Continue reading

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Check Out the First “Safe Call Now” Conference

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“Safe Call Now” the tremendous organization that provides a crisis hotline for first responders are hosting their first conference on addiction and mental health issues found in and around the public safety sector.

Saturday, November 6, 2010
Eastside Church, Bothell, WA
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Safe Call Now is a quality, confidential & comprehensive crisis referral service for public safety employees & their families nationwide.

Safe Call Now will be providing a day of education for all first responders, families and supporters. (All  first  responders  to  include,  but  not  limited  to: law  enforcement,  fire  fighters,  corrections, civilian  support   staff  and  family  members.) Continue reading

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Pain Behind The Badge Seminars

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The Pain Behind The Badge organization has a number of upcoming seminars.  I will be attending the seminar in Las Vegas and you are encouraged to attend any of these that you can.  This is excellent training about the issues of law enforcement suicide and the prevention of those police officer suicides.  Whether you work in law enforcement, corrections, probation or parole or you represent a law enforcement agency this is “must attend” training for you.

Editors Note: You can learn more about Sgt. Clarke Paris and The Pain Behind the Badge organization by reading our CopsAlive.com article about them and listening to our interview with Sgt. Paris at: https://www.copsalive.com/the-pain-behind-the-badge/

October 7 & 8, 2010
Grossman Paris Seminar, Las Vegas, NV
Special Seminar combined with Retired LT. Col. Dave Grossman

Colonel Dave Grossman will present his ‘Bullet Proof Mind ‘ program on October 7th and on October 8th, Clarke Paris will present his ‘The Pain Behind The Badge’ program.

Sgt. Clarke Paris is the Creator/Producer of The Pain Behind The Badge and has 24 years of experience as a police officer.

Retired LT. Colonel Dave Grossman was an Army Ranger and is a former West Point Psychology Professor. Now the director of Killology Research Group, he has published several books to include ’On Killing’, ‘Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill’, and ‘On Combat’.

October 11 & 12, 2010
The Pain Behind the Badge Seminar, Houston, TX

The Pain Behind The Badge Seminar is presented by Clarke and Tracie Paris, and was created to bridge the gap that exists between law enforcement officers and the help that is currently provided by their respective agencies. Clarke is the Creator/Producer of The Pain Behind The Badge and has 24 years of experience as a police officer. Tracie has been a Registered Nurse for 25 years and has experience in E.R./Trauma and Ambulatory Care.

October 18 & 19, 2010
The Pain Behind the Badge Seminar, Seattle, WA

The Pain Behind The Badge Seminar is presented by Clarke and Tracie Paris, and was created to bridge the gap that exists between law enforcement officers and the help that is currently provided by their respective agencies. Clarke is the Creator/Producer of The Pain Behind The Badge and has 24 years of experience as a police officer. Tracie has been a Registered Nurse for 25 years and has experience in E.R./Trauma and Ambulatory Care.

For more information visit:
http://www.thepainbehindthebadge.com/seminar.html