Forge Resilience Podcast Chris and Lacy Wolff

In this episode, we explore the remarkable journey and innovative initiatives of Chief Joel Rivera who has not only achieved personal milestones like completing a Ph.D. and running marathons but has also become the Chief of Police in Weslaco, Texas. He has transformed his department by implementing a model resilience and mental health program.

Episode Highlights:

Personal Journey to Leadership: Chief Rivera's career trajectory, marked by personal accomplishments, has prepared him for a unique leadership role in law enforcement.

Cultivating Well-being: Taking charge as Chief of Police in Weslaco, Texas, he recognized the importance of prioritizing mental health and resilience within his department.

Immediate Post-Incident Support: One groundbreaking initiative is the mandatory debriefing with a counselor within 48 hours of critical incidents. This practice provides officers with essential emotional support after traumatic events and normalizes counseling.

Therapy Dog as Team Member: Meet Shane, the agency therapy dog, who has become an integral part of the team, offering emotional support and comfort to officers and staff.

Equipping for Stress Regulation: Chief Rivera ensures that every officer is equipped with a HRV monitor and comprehensive training in self-regulation skills. These tools are vital for managing stress and maintaining well-being.

Embedding Mental Health in Training: By making mental health an integral part of training, Weslaco is eliminating the stigma and normalizing discussions about resilience throughout the department.

Positive Community Impact: These innovative practices have led to a reduction in use of force and escalated incidents in the community. Chief [Name] believes that mentally resilient officers contribute to healthier community relations.

Future of Law Enforcement: Chief Rivera shares his vision for the future, where mental health and resilience programs become the norm across law enforcement agencies, creating a positive and lasting impact.


Resources:

Chief Rivera's Email Address: joel.rivera@weslacotx.gov
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjoel-rivera/

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the FORGE Resilience podcast Your support is greatly appreciated. Until next time, remember to prioritize your well-being and resilience.

In this podcast we talked to Joe Collins. Joe retired from law enforcement after 35 years of dedicated service. He served as Chief of Police in Two Rivers, Wisconsin since 2005. He has since moved to the Houston Texas area and he and his wife Colleen are enjoying the warm Texas weather!

Joe is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, session 236.

He currently serves as the Public Safety Liaison for Acadia Healthcare where he advocates for mental health for first responders. Joe is also a Master Resilience Trainer and masterfully facilitates resilience training. Not only does Joe do a great job of inspiring people to learn and practice resilience, he LIVES these practices each day.

Joe's phone number is 920-973-7310. Store. This. Number.

Thanks for listening and supporting first responder resilience health!

Chief Lattimore's story made us want to start podcasting again! A 27 year law enforcement veteran from a small police department near Houston, Texas that has been through multiple critical incidents walks us through his experience of dealing with trauma on his own (shoving it down) and how he made the decision to get the help he needed and deserved so he could truly LIVE. Chief Lattimore's story is both inspiring and helpful as he describes EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) and lays out simple strategy to improve mental resilience for first responders and leaders.

In this podcast we talked with Jessica Robledo, Chief of the Pflugerville Police Department. She retired from Austin Police Department after a distinguished 30 year career before her arrival in Pflugerville in 2017. In this podcast she talks about leadership and tells about her traumatic childhood and difficult experiences early in life that made her the strong and resilient leader she is today. Chief Robledo has a servant's heart and is an inspiring leader that we can all learn from.

For more inspiration from Chief Robledo you can follow her on social media:
Facebook @Chief Jessica Robledo,
Twitter @PfChiefRobledo
and on Instagram @PFChiefJess

In this podcast we interviewed Shawn & Jeff Thomas, a dual law enforcement couple from King County Sherriff's Department that is on a mission to help First Responders normalize mental health issues and access resources when they need them most. After going through their own personal struggles and growth they decided to fill a void and create a conference platform that not only links first responders with resources but also gives a platform to first responders with a story to tell. Learn more about 1st Responder Conferences here:
https://1stresponderconferences.org/

Leave us a review if you get a chance! We appreciate all of you. Stay safe and keep moving! Chris & Lacy

Lt. Col Dave Grossman has been on the road for more than 200 days a year since he retired from the US Army. He relentlessly works to support the US military and first responders through speaking engagements and his books.

In this podcast we were honored to have him talk to us about the sheepdog philosophy, resiliency, sleep, and the importance of spirituality.

All of LTC Grossman's books can be found on Amazon through this link: https://www.amazon.com/Dave-Grossman/e/B001H6MBBM/ref=dp_byline_cont_audible_1

You can also learn more about his work or reach him directly through www.killology.com

Thank you to all the Sheepdogs and to all of you that love Sheepdogs. Stay safe everyone!

Chris & Lacy