General Order No. 533

I. POLICY

To provide all departmental employees and Police Reserve Officers with a voluntary and confidential resource of
support and assistance relating to personal, work and/or critical incident stress.

II. DEFINITIONS

Administrative Liaison -- the member of the Peer Support Unit designated to coordinate training, policies,
practices, and other administrative issues through the office of the Police Chief.

Critical Incident -- Any significant event that may result in a strong emotional reaction and which has
potential to affect an employee’s ability to cope. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Line-of-duty deaths

Line-of-duty serious injuries

Employee suicides

Disasters/multi-casualty incidents

Officer-involved shootings

Significant events involving children

Incidents involving victims who are relatives or friends

Events with excessive media coverage

Events life-threatening to responders

Civilian deaths that occur during police operations, and cumulative significant events that occur within a short
time period

     Critical Incident Support Unit -- a group of Peer Support Unit Members who have received training in counseling
     and in providing emotional and moral support to law enforcement officers or emergency services personnel who have
     been involved in emotionally traumatic incidents by reason of their employment and are certified and approved by the
     Police Chief to respond to critical incidents for the purpose of debriefing and defusing.

Debriefing -- a group meeting (preferably within 48-72 hours) to relieve the impact of a critical incident; this is
not an operational critique.

Defusing -- a group meeting (preferably within 3-4 hours), shortened version of a debriefing, offering information,
support, an initial venting of feelings, and the assessment of the need for a debriefing.

Peer Support Unit -- a group of peers trained in providing support and assistance for work related problems.

Steering Committee -- designated members from the Peer Support and Critical Incident Support Units that meet
to discuss issues pertaining to the operation and practices of the units.

III. PURPOSE

A. The Peer Support Unit is a voluntary and confidential resource for all departmental employees and Police
Reserve Officers, which provides support and assistance for work-related problems.

B. The Critical Incident Support Unit is a voluntary and confidential resource for all departmental employees and
Police Reserve Officers, which provides debriefings and defusing for critical incidents and/or other situations.

C. Provides assistance when the employee is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others due to substance
abuse.

IV. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

A. The units are tied administratively to the Police Chief through an Administrative Liaison. However, the Peer
Support and Critical Incident Support Units are autonomous elements recognized and supported by the department.

B. Participation in the Peer Support and Critical Incident Support Units are voluntary and open to departmental
personnel, retirees, Police Reserve Officers, and Police Chaplains.

C. The Peer Support and Critical Incident Support Units are governed by a Steering Committee and managed by a Peer
and Critical Incident Support Unit Coordinator who also serves as the Steering Committee Chairperson.

V. CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION

    A.  Peer and Critical Incident Support Unit members shall adhere to the strictest standards of confidentiality and
        not discuss any information divulged in support, debriefing and defusing sessions, except as required by
        Section VI. Duty To Report.

B. Trained peer support personnel are bound by privileged communication as established by existing statutes at the
time of disclosure.

VI. DUTY TO REPORT

A. Peer and Critical Incident Support Unit members shall immediately report to the Police Chief or designee:

1. Any threat of suicide or homicide made by a participant in a peer support counseling session or
any information conveyed in a peer support counseling session relating to a threat of suicide or homicide;

2. Any information relating to abuse of spouses, children, or the elderly, or other information that is
required to be reported by law;

3. Any admission of criminal conduct;

4. When there is reason to believe that the person intends serious self-injury or injury to another person; or

        5. When the employee is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others as evidenced by the display of
           abnormal behavior, including (but not limited to) delusional or threatening verbalization as a result
           of substance abuse or personal/emotional issues.

VII. PROVISIONS FOR PEER SUPPORT ASSISTANCE

A. The initial contact can be made either by the person seeking support or by unit members through peer referrals.

B. Persons have the right to refuse peer assistance.

C. No compensation for support sessions will be given to the peer members or the person seeking assistance.

D. The role of members of the Peer/Critical Incident Support Unit is to render emotional support.

E. When problems are acute or appear to require specialized assistance, information on referral resources will be made
available to those seeking help.

1. Resources include those available through the County Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or other Professional
Services contracted by the Department.

F. Superiors who are on duty and who are peer volunteers cannot abdicate their supervisory responsibilities, but may
make referrals to other peer support members.

VIII. CRITICAL INCIDENT PROCEDURES

A. The Critical Incident Support Unit Coordinator shall be notified as soon as possible whenever a critical incident
occurs.

1. The supervisor in charge of the incident through the dispatch supervisor is responsible for the notification.

2. Notification may be made by the responsible field supervisor, unit supervisor, communications supervisor, or by
any employee who feels that a critical incident has occurred.

B. The Critical Incident Support Unit Coordinator or designee will assess the situation and apprise the element
commander of the recommended course of action.

1. It shall be the duty of the Commander to determine if a defusing or debriefing session is immediately necessary.

C. If a defusing or debriefing is necessary, all employees involved in the incident will attend.

1. Defusing should be conducted within three or four hours of the incident, before personnel leave for the day.

2. Debriefing should be conducted between 48 and 72 hours after the incident.

3. If any part of the approved defusing or debriefing for a critical incident is conducted after the regularly
scheduled tour of duty, overtime will be paid to attendees.

IX. NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES

The Unit Coordinator will be notified of any request for Peer Support and/or Critical Incidents.

X. EXTENDED CRISIS

When off-duty Peer and/or Critical Incident Support Unit volunteers are needed to assist in an extended crisis, they may request to be placed on special assignment for the next scheduled tour of duty. It shall be the responsibility of the Peer and/or Critical Incident Support Unit member to seek approval from their District/Section commander. Approved request will be routed to the Peer and Critical Incident Support Unit Coordinator.

XI. STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Steering Committee members will be granted on-duty status to attend Peer and Critical Incident Support Unit Steering Committee meetings.

XII. UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT

Members of the unit, while engaged in critical incident responses, defusing, or debriefings, shall wear appropriate attire approved by the Police Chief.

LAWRENCE K. MAHUNA
POLICE CHIEF
(New: 11-08-05)