Welcome Remarks

Marvin “Ben” Haiman, Chief of Staff,
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department

Dr. Vereen Barton, Assistant Division Chief, Director of Recruiting, Criminal Investigation And the Office of Accountability and Oversight  
Maryland-National Capital Park, Prince George’s County

Firsthand Experience: Witnessing and Overcoming Personal Trauma

• Analyze the details of an officer involved incident and recount the experience through the eyes of a first responder 
• Assess the psychological damage related to the incident and how it impacted the life of the first responder 
• Explore the recovery process including support mechanisms, therapy, and assistance from family and friends on the road to recovery  
• Examine tools to overcome the stigma of mental health and offer support to first responders to heal from the trauma of critical incidents 

Bev Perez, CEO and Founder,
SHIELDUS

Strategies to Overcome Compassion Fatigue

• Identify the traits of professionals that express a sense of helplessness 
• Offer advice and tools to manage and overcome constant stress and depression based on trauma related incidents 
• Examine common abuse mechanisms such as alcohol and substance abuse that are used to deflect mental health issues that can lead to hazardous outcomes 

Dr. Vereen Barton, Assistant Division Chief, Director of Recruiting, Criminal Investigation And the Office of Accountability and Oversight  
Maryland-National Capital Park, Prince George’s County

Alaina Gay, Officer,  
Maryland-National Capital Park Police 

The Five-Year Marker: Mental Health Awareness Post Retirement

• Assess the pressures that occur with retirement for professionals that may have experienced trauma throughout their career 
• Implement a check in process for retirees and offer tools for success during retirement to ensure health mental wellness 
• Offer education related to relationship building and maintaining to enable retirees to create a strong support system 
• Analyze best practices to prepare yourself successfully for a healthy retirement 

Mandie Kelel, MS, Marriage and Family Therapist
Contract Therapist with North Las Vegas Police Department

Bulletproof Spirit: Trauma Recovery, Resilience, and Wellness Strategies

• Understand the nature of police work daily traumas and how they can injure the brain causing post-traumatic stress, depression, sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, addictions, burnout, suicide, and significant psychological-emotional-physical distress 
• Learn specific evidence-based resilience and wellness strategies that can be practiced daily to enhance physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual fitness 
• Hear about the most powerful, effective treatment for traumas and post-traumatic stress, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and how to find a local EMDR trauma professional in your area 

Dan Willis, Captain (Retired), International Instructor
FirstResponderWellness.com

Capitalize on Knowledge Transfer for Mental Health Awareness Success

• Utilize valuable experience within your department to educate other officers about their experiences 
• Create mentorship opportunities to allow knowledge transfer between mentor and mentee 
• Educate experienced officers on communication techniques to ensure a safe communication environment to achieve best outcomes 

Michelle McAllister, Detective, Police Personnel Background Investigator
Prince William County Police Department

Post Critical Incident: Action Plan

• Create and implement and action plan to be used post critical incident for the safety of your officers and the community 
• Identify key steps in post-traumatic event recovery that must be taken and the staff members that are qualified to conduct therapy  
• Utilize a re-entry process to ensure that officers return to work safely and are prepared to handle the pressures of the job and support colleagues 
• Define which incidents are classified as critical incident and establish a plan based on the type of incident for rehabilitation and reentry into the role 

Marvin “Ben” Haiman, Chief of Staff,
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department

Suicide Awareness

• Analyze key traits of professionals struggling with depression to enable senior leaders and colleagues to intervene 
• Explore communication tools that allow professionals to feel safe and talk freely about their problems 
• Create and implement protocols to ensure that correct processes are met to guide an individual safely through the steps to healing 

Dan Miller, Warriors Speak® Spokesperson
Wounded Warrior Project

Physical Wellness to Improve Mental Wellness

• Educate your team of the importance of physical wellness on the impact of mental wellness to improve psychological fatigue 
• Offer education and practical sessions on physical exercise, healthy food options and preparations, and strategies to improve sleep 
• Identify opportunities within your community for officers to participate in healthy best practices to improve they physical and mental approaches to the profession 

Kristen Wright, Sergeant, Officer
Olympia Police Department

Mandy Nice, Cordico Strategic Wellness Director,
Lexipol

Closing Session

Marvin “Ben” Haiman, Chief of Staff,
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department

Dr. Vereen Barton, Assistant Division Chief, Director of Recruiting, Criminal Investigation And the Office of Accountability and Oversight  
Maryland-National Capital Park, Prince George’s County

Opening Remarks

Marvin “Ben” Haiman, Chief of Staff,
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department

Dr. Vereen Barton, Assistant Division Chief, Director of Recruiting, Criminal Investigation And the Office of Accountability and Oversight  
Maryland-National Capital Park, Prince George’s County

Mental Wellness as a Recruitment and Retention Tool

• Comprehend the importance of mental wellness as a recruitment and retention tool to ensure you attract and retain valuable assets in your department 
• Utilize your mental wellness support as a valuable part of your recruitment approach 
• Evaluate available tools and communication flow to ensure mental wellness is addressed 
• Examine which internal and external staff members are needed to provide the right support to ensure officer safety 

Mike Boward, Sergeant,
Fort Collins Police

Proactive Mental Health Care as a Risk Management Tool

• Educate young officers joining the force on the benefits and opportunities for proactive mental health care 
• Understand the value of mental health care as a risk management tool to avoid costly lawsuits 
• Utilize experience from current officers as a tool to educate young professionals 
• Explore options within your community for physical and mental health training and preparedness 

Diana Duffy, Assistant Chief of Patrol Services Bureau 
Tucson Police Department

Jason Bentley, Officer,
Tucson Police Department

Peer Support Teams: Establishment and Development to the Needs of the Agency

• Assess the value of peer-to-peer communication to offer support to colleagues in the department 
• Assess how Peer-to Peer Support teams are constructed and discuss polices that are in place to protect support teams 
• Educate your team on key signs of someone needing help 
• Ensure that staff understand protocols if they identify a peer that needs support and guidance 

Brandi Burque, Ph.D., Co-Founder Human Performance & Readiness Institute 
San Antonio Police Department 

Cliff Burns, Co-Founder Human Performance & Readiness Institute 
San Antonio Police Department 

Balance Mental Wellness at Work and Home

• Understand the work-related pressures and the impact it can have on relationships with family, children, and friends 
• Assess valuable communication tools that can used to discuss occupational stress with your support system to alleviate psychological pressures 
• Offer education and support within the department to guide professionals on work/life balance to manage high levels of stress and avoid dangerous outcomes 

Jennifer A. Beskid, EdD, Executive Director, Correctional Training Commission
Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services

Clay Swensen, Lieutenant, Patrol Division
Sandy Police Department

Closing Session

Marvin “Ben” Haiman, Chief of Staff,
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department

Dr. Vereen Barton, Assistant Division Chief, Director of Recruiting, Criminal Investigation And the Office of Accountability and Oversight  
Maryland-National Capital Park, Prince George’s County