Physical body armor has long been standard equipment for all police officers in the United States. In much the same way, the need for emotional and psychological armor has come to be an important requisite for the officer who must face today's streets. Officers face the under-side of our society on a daily basis. In the line of duty, they often see the worst of what mankind has to offer. Injury and death to others, to themselves and to their comrades has become more frequent. Even for those best trained and best prepared, the job can be emotionally as well as physically draining. Because officers are just as human as their civilian counterparts who may experience unusual stress in their life, the importance of attending to these human needs is of paramount importance. Stress and emotional trauma, left unattended, will incapacitate an officer just as surely as if the officer had been shot or otherwise injured. The Peer Counseling Program of the Fort Worth Police Department acting in conjunction with, and under the supervision of, the Department's Psychological Services Unit provides immediate and temporary emotional first aid to members of the department who may be in need of such support. Peer Counselors are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Officially sanctioned by the Chief of Police, all Peer Counselors serve voluntarily and without compensation, and do so in addition to their regular police duties. Effective psychological coverage for all department employees has been enhanced as a result. All Peer Counselors receive basic training in Crisis Intervention and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing. They are required to attend monthly in-service training as well as formal training schools both within and without the department. After two years, the response to the Peer Counselors has been outstanding and the coverage possible by the Psychological Services Unit has been greatly increased. Currently, coverage has been established at one Peer Counselor for every sixty members of the Department.
