Tuesday night's murder of a Greeley police officer's wife, allegedly by the wife of a Weld County Sheriff's investigator, highlights what some experts are calling an increase in violence among law enforcement officials and their families. "We're really seeing a new, alarming trend that's scaring the devil out of me," said Tom Gillan, director of the Central Florida Police Stress Unit, a nonprofit organization that offers support to law enforcement officers and their families. "The stress of the job, the stress of the home life, it's causing this trend I'm seeing where officers are killing other officers and even their own spouses and children. It's more of a violent trend"...
[Source: Law enforcement officers tend to have stressful home lives, Greeley Tribune, Kelly Morgan, January, 2007]
I went looking for Mr. Gillan and the mentioned support organization.
I have compiled some excerpts from the Central Florida Police Stress Unit website - not as a replacement for visiting the site but in hopes that it will lead some to go explore the site themselves, even if only to know it as a resource to have on hand for others. The site has a lot of information - and assurance.
Central Florida Police Stress Unit, Inc.24 Hours: (407) 428-1800
http://www.policestress.org/
The Central Florida Police Stress Unit, Inc. is a nonprofit organization, and a program of the Criminal Justice Office of Catholic Charities of Central Florida. It is not affiliated with any police department or law enforcement agency. The Central Florida Police Stress Unit provides a confidential response for law enforcement officers with no outside interference from their respective department or agency.
The Central Florida Police Stress Unit, Inc. was established for Law Enforcement Officers and their families. It provides a Confidential Response and addresses the many issues associated and caused directly and indirectly by the stress related to the Law Enforcement profession... Stress is Law Enforcement's Hidden Assailant. Law Enforcement work can be a killer, even if no one is shooting at you! Stress among Law Enforcement Officers often effect relationships ending in divorce - an annual rate of nearly five times that of the general population. It spells problems with alcohol, prescription drug abuse, and domestic violence. Stress also means disruption of normal sleeping patterns, eating habits, poor nutrition, paranoia, fear, anger, and depression... Despite all the attention paid to the stress of a police officer's job, the fact is that most intense and potentially destructive stress an officer faces involves his or her own family conflicts. The disruptive effects of stress which arise in encounters on the streets are occasional and limited in duration. The stress generated by unresolved marital problems is a daily corrosive element which drains an officer's ability to function effectively...
You are not alone! Give us a call. Peer-Support Personnel are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will respond immediately in emergencies. The Central Florida Police Stress Unit, Inc. serves all Law Enforcement Agencies and Officers. Your participation in any of the programs or services offered by The Central Florida Police Stress Unit, Inc. is strictly confidential, with no information of any type going to anyone outside of the program except by specific written request of the officer concerned.
The Central Florida Police Stress Unit, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) Florida Corporation according to current IRS regulations. Public and Private tax deductible Donations are welcomed and appreciated.
EMAIL tgillan@CCOrlando.org
Office: (407) 658-1818
Fax: (407) 282-2891
Address: 1771 North Semoran Blvd.Orlando, FL 32807
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