Officers having problems dealing with the stress of the killings or any other issues now have a statewide confidential hotline to call to get help.
Only a year old, it could be a pilot program for the rest of the country.
Since the Lakewood police officer murders, calls to its hotline are up significantly.
"Now you throw in the stress of five heroes being killed simply because they were wearing a uniform and unfortunately what it does, it ramps up the stress level in their lives," says Seattle Police Assistant Chief Nick Metz. "It ramps up the stress level in their families lives and it compounds a lot of the problems that they are dealing with."
Metz says we want our public safety officials to be healthy.
He's on the executive board of Safe Call Now.
The non-profit organization's website explains it is a crisis referral service for police, firefighters, corrections officers and their family members.
Chief Metz says in the last year, they've taken hundreds of calls and helped 40 people get treatment for issues like depression or substance abuse.
"For many of those who have received that assistance, they have come back to us and told us that Safe Call saved their life," Metz said.
The call takers are volunteers who've worked or work in public safety. They don't counsel the officers or firefighters or family members, but instead refer them to the right place to get help. And it's all confidential.
"There's a concern on their department that if they go to their department and request assistance of some kind that some how or another, that's going to look negatively upon them or maybe they might be subject to some kind of disciplinary action," Metz said.
Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen was on board from the very beginning and helped pass legislation that ensures all calls to the hotline are protected.
"They're having an emotional issue. They're having suicide thoughts. They realize that alcohol is taking ahold of them and they don't want to admit that to people so it's important to let them feel comfortable that their commuinication is going to be confidential," Owen says.
Owen's son was recently shot during an argument with a family friend. He says Safe Call Now is often proactive as well, even reaching out to help before waiting to be called.
Tthe non-profit gets no state-funding so if you'd like to donate, you can check out their website, safecallnow.org.
Only a year old, it could be a pilot program for the rest of the country.
Since the Lakewood police officer murders, calls to its hotline are up significantly.
"Now you throw in the stress of five heroes being killed simply because they were wearing a uniform and unfortunately what it does, it ramps up the stress level in their lives," says Seattle Police Assistant Chief Nick Metz. "It ramps up the stress level in their families lives and it compounds a lot of the problems that they are dealing with."
Metz says we want our public safety officials to be healthy.
He's on the executive board of Safe Call Now.
The non-profit organization's website explains it is a crisis referral service for police, firefighters, corrections officers and their family members.
Chief Metz says in the last year, they've taken hundreds of calls and helped 40 people get treatment for issues like depression or substance abuse.
"For many of those who have received that assistance, they have come back to us and told us that Safe Call saved their life," Metz said.
The call takers are volunteers who've worked or work in public safety. They don't counsel the officers or firefighters or family members, but instead refer them to the right place to get help. And it's all confidential.
"There's a concern on their department that if they go to their department and request assistance of some kind that some how or another, that's going to look negatively upon them or maybe they might be subject to some kind of disciplinary action," Metz said.
Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen was on board from the very beginning and helped pass legislation that ensures all calls to the hotline are protected.
"They're having an emotional issue. They're having suicide thoughts. They realize that alcohol is taking ahold of them and they don't want to admit that to people so it's important to let them feel comfortable that their commuinication is going to be confidential," Owen says.
Owen's son was recently shot during an argument with a family friend. He says Safe Call Now is often proactive as well, even reaching out to help before waiting to be called.
Tthe non-profit gets no state-funding so if you'd like to donate, you can check out their website, safecallnow.org.
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