Police surviving and thriving following emotional trauma

Abstract

In 2015, the Province of British Columbia (BC) focussed on treating and improving the mental health and well-being of first responders (BC First Responders Mental Health, 2021). At this time, the Nelson Police Department (NPD) established the Wellness Group to provide access to education, training, and treatment programs. NPD and other police agencies experienced initial success, and these programs became essential within their respective organizations. My focus in this capstone was to identify a means to continue to develop these in-house initiatives through an appreciative inquiry lens. The principal inquiry question of my thesis was: How might Nelson Police Department improve the mental health and well-being of its members? Drawing from positive lived experience of the NPD membership allowed me to make recommendations for positive change that were rooted in the organization rather than cloned from general adopted practices of other police agencies.