Throughout 2021, the Tucson Police Department (TPD) were facing challenges common to many first responder agencies - civil unrest, considerable staffing shortages and record breaking local violence. Despite having multiple employee supports in place, the TPD lost two employees to suicide in the summer of 2021. At the recommendation of a TPD wellness director who had attended the Warrior PATHH program, TPD leadership connected with Boulder Crest Foundation to discuss bringing its new Struggle Well program to Tucson.
Chad Kasmar was named Chief of Police shortly after the partnership was initiated, and he immediately bought into the new partnership and Struggle Well. The initial vision for this partnership was for every member of the TPD to go through a 5-day Struggle Well training package. The first class was conducted in December 2021 and since then over 600 TPD personnel have participated in the Struggle Well program. Chief Kasmar kicks off each training session by sharing his own experiences, modelling the vulnerability and honesty required for participants to get the most out of the training.
“We certainly knew that officers weren’t coping well. We had a robust Mental Health Support Team, a Behavioural Sciences Unit and a department psychologist but it just wasn’t enough. It was at that time that really rocked the organisation that we recognised we need to do more…and then the conversation started about what that more would look like”
Chad Kasmar, Chief of Police, Tucson Police Department
As more TPD personnel attended Struggle Well, the department’s culture began to transform to one where talking about struggle became normal and people felt they had the skills to check in with and support their colleagues. The department’s retention rate improved as well, and TPD leadership attributed the emerging wellness focused culture and improved retention, in part, to the integration of Struggle Well into their employee training. As a result, the TPD incorporated 30 hours of Struggle Well training into their police academy and began to offer a Struggle Well workshop for retirees.
This project is sustained by the trainthe-trainer model that enables Boulder Crest Foundation’s partners to build internal capacity for program delivery. Boulder Crest Foundation trained the first TPD officer to deliver Struggle Well in the summer of 2022 and this officer led his first class in October 2022. Since that time, over 20 additional TPD officers have been trained to deliver Struggle Well.
People join the police force because they want to serve their communities, and the cost of this service should not be the quality of their lives. “We have been focusing on building trust, connection, and mutual support internally, which has had a positive effect on the community,” Chief Kasmar said of Struggle Well training. In the end, you have to be well to police well and the Tucson Police Department has found an innovative way to ensure workplace health.
Key Indicators
TPD identified the following key indicators as a sign that they needed to take action:
- High Staff Turnover: The department experienced low retention and high staff turnover.
- Environment of Distrust: Staff felt betrayed by the department and did not trust leadership.
- Under Utilised Services: Workplace wellness resources were not being utilised.
- Culture: Workplace environment where being vulnerable is a weakness.
- Reporting Culture: Staff were hesitant to report they were experiencing difficulties.
- Poor Engagement: Noticeably poor engagement with peers, family and friends.
- Critical Incidents: Workplace suicide, fighting and behavioural issues.
What made Struggle Well work
TPD took key steps to successfully integrate Struggle Well into the department. Some of the items the made the program a success were:
Buy in and participation from leadership
Leadership set an example by clearing their schedules to make training a priority, opening training and being vulnerable, and attending final training day to engage with students and support ideas.
Top down planning
Executive command and leadership were present for the planning and implementation of the program, solving logistical and scheduling challenges with creativity.
Program saturation
Intentional program saturation from recruit training through to retirement. Identified opportunities to promote the program philosophy through the department.
Trust and confidentiality
The department built an agency wide plan centred on communication and trust. Staff established a norm of confidentiality — a crucial building block and key element in the success of the program
Training Structure
The strategic order of speakers started with the most vulnerable to set the tone for student participation. Clear goals and accountability expectations were established for active participation.
Quality of Trainers
Trainers must be knowledgeable and authentic to establish credibility early on in training. Relationships between trainers and participants fostered and ongoing to promote trust and a sense of community.
The impact of Struggle Well
The Struggle Well case study uncovered the following key findings experienced at TPD. The research methodology included participant observation, one on one interviews and review of archival data.
Better Retention and Longer Tenure
TPD reported a noticeable shift toward higher trust and improved job satisfaction once 20% of staff completed the program.
Trust, Connection and Sense of Community
Staff established a greater sense of trust toward the department. An ever-growing community of Struggle Well “buddies” established an atmosphere of cohesive camaraderie vs. individual isolation.
Normalised Struggle
A common language was created around struggle, introducing an understanding and acceptance of the potential of struggle across all ranks. Increased buddy checks and public wellness practices.
Positive Culture Change
Command staff and officers reported an atmosphere of improved camaraderie, willingness to share one’s needs and struggles, and trust in a supportive culture and work environment.
Improved Policing and Engagement with Public
Participants reported wellness practices positively impacted their ability to approach their jobs with a healthier mindset, leading to improved officer engagement and connection with community.
Empowered Mental Health Services
The program normalised the use of department wellness services, leading to increased trust in and use of mental health clinicians. Created an environment of peer-to-peer accountability for use of wellness practices