Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office ‘trying to be proactive’ about deputies’ well-being

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Starting Monday, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office will be highlighting its employees’ health and well-being for First Responders Wellness Week.

Deputies said at times, the job can be taxing both physically and mentally.

Deputy Amanda Gress said that’s why prioritizing wellness is essential.

“Trauma’s a huge thing,” she said. “PTSD, PTSI, whatever you want to call it, it’s intense, and it can really mess with a person’s mind.”

Sgt. Amy Shandera said law enforcement officers have always dealt with stress and trauma, but the stigma around getting help has gone down.

“It’s accepted now,” she said. “Whereas, 20, 22, 23 years ago when I walked in the door, to show vulnerability … was almost a sign of weakness.”

Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said 66 is the average age of death for law enforcement officers who have served between 10 and 19 years.

He said many of them die of heart disease or cancer.

“We are trying to be proactive; we could certainly always be better,” Houchin said. “Our profession hasn’t always been good about talking and getting help. And I think now we are getting a lot better at it.”

Houchin said the sheriff’s office allows employees to exercise in the weight room for 30 minutes while on duty.

The Lincoln Police Department has a team of 10 peer support leaders who are available 24/7 to speak with officers.

The sheriff’s office has been working on a similar program to check in if someone has been working a hard case.

Gress said the agency recently had a new recruit who was exposed to “quite a bit of trauma” in the first month of his field training.

“We had a debriefing with him and some of the other people involved in those incidents,” she said. “And we follow up with him saying, ‘Hey, are you good? Do you need anything else? Are you still having issues sleeping or are you having issues with anything else?'”

Both the sheriff’s office and LPD offer Employee Assistance Programs to cover mental health or therapy sessions.

Gress and Shandera agree that getting younger deputies support and finding healthy ways to cope can boost retention as well.

Next week, the sheriff’s office will feature events and videos for deputies that focus on physical fitness, nutrition, mental health and family wellness.