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PBPA Units: Please share the information below with your retirees…

COPLINE: AN OFFICER’S LIFELINE…needs your help

1-800-Copline 1 (800) 267-5463

 

Copline is the first national law enforcement officer’s hotline which is entirely manned by retired law enforcement officers. These retired officers receive intensive training in active listening and bring the knowledge and understanding of the many psychosocial stressors that officers and their families go through both on and off the job. An Active or retired officer or their families can call 24/7 and be assured there is a trained retired officer on the other end of the line. Whether the caller is calling while on duty or off, Copline is strictly confidential and there should be no fear of calls to that officer’s department or punitive repercussions if someone reaches out for help.

 

Copline was created with both the active officer and the retired officer in mind.  Many times, the only person an officer feels safe talking to is another officer.  When an officer retires, they take with them the wisdom and experience that only time on the job can provide.  The part of the job that officers enjoy is helping, being there for someone, and letting them know that someone does care, especially if it is a fellow officer.

 

We have received calls from 40 states, many calls from retirees, as well as officers still on the job, who are struggling with many different psychosocial stressors. Other calls are from officers that have been terminated, don’t fit into a civilian world and their departments, and other sworn officers have disconnected from them.

 

The highest suicide rates in law enforcement are in rural areas and in deep undercover operations. These officers are sometimes isolated from the ones they love as they take on the persona required to survive in the element they are working in. Being an officer brings with it an 8-fold risk of suicide over being killed while on duty. There is also a three times risk of suicide over on-duty auto accidents.

 

Additional stressors officers endure are a highly increased rate of separation or divorce within the first three years of employment and increased rates of substance abuse higher than the general public. Officers are exposed to more trauma in a day than many civilians are in a lifetime. It is said that 38-58% of all active officers have PTSD, but few are treated. This can lead to depression and suicide. Officers who are exposed to trauma have a 5-fold risk of suicidal thoughts.  

 

Copline continues to need retired officers who will commit to a rigorous vetting process and answer calls for 12 hours a month for a 1-year period.  The training is free for those that are asked to attend after the initial application has been vetted. 

Volunteer information can be found at: http://www.copline.org/volunteer.html

The application can be found at: http://www.copline.org/resources.html

 

We need help spreading the word to get volunteers.  If that is not something that you are able to do you can still help by getting the word out that Copline is available to all officers and their families. 

 

For more information please feel free to reach out to Stephanie Samuels at Director@copline.org or call her at 732-577-8300x8.

 

 

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