WINDERMERE, Fla. — Responding to trauma and tragedies are part of the job for police, sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement officers across the country.
What You Need To Know
- Windermere Police Chief Dave Ogden leading national effort to support police officers’ health
- Ogden said the spiritual component can’t be ignored
- He uses podcasts, public speeches, counseling programs and new book to reach his audience
Too often, it has taken a hidden toll on their mental health. Advocates say police have a higher risk of suicide and divorce and other mental health challenges compared to the general population.
Windermere Police Chief Dave Ogden checks on the mental and spiritual health of his colleagues each day. Ogden has been in law enforcement for 38 years, and he knows the terrible toll responding to tragedies can take.
“I have seen law enforcement officers unfortunately take their own lives in the line of duty, and I’ve seen them killed in the line of duty, and the devastation that leaves behind,” Ogden said.
The law enforcement support group Sound Thinking says 170 law enforcement officers died by suicide in 2022 and that 122 took their own lives in 2023. Ogden is on a mission to boost the mental and spiritual health of police officers and their families.
Ogden said the spiritual component can’t be ignored.
“I’ve seen over the years, us talking about mental health, talking about physical health, but we refuse to talk about spiritual wellness and we refuse to talk about relationship wellness,” he said.
Ogden spreads his focus on mental and spiritual well-being through podcast appearances, public speeches and magazine articles he writes on a regular basis.
Next week, Ogden and his wife will travel to Colorado to counsel officers and their spouses through the Healing Warriors Program.
Windermere’s top cop also wrote a book called “Seeds of Leadership.” It is a daily devotional with spiritual support for officers and deputies during their most difficult days. The book is small and will easily tuck in a police car console or in the visor.
Ogden hopes officers will spend a couple of minutes each day reading the uplifting passages.
“Maybe they open that book and maybe they just see something that just brings some good peace to them,” he hoped.
Mark De Stefano is working with Ogden to support police. De Stefano was a sheriff’s deputy and police officer for 43 years. He says dealing with the deaths of children and the passing of two colleagues who took their own lives was very painful.
“During my career, I went to 18 funerals of people I worked with, and that was my biggest trauma,” he said.
De Stefano is president of Blueline Support, a 24-hour crisis hotline for law enforcement officers and their families.
“Most people who call our hotline, they just want to talk. They want to vent. They want an ear away from their agency so they have someone to talk to,” De Stefano said.
Ogden plans to retire in a few years, but he pledges unwavering support to stand with his brothers and sisters for years to come.
“I think if you do something for 30 or 40 years, you should have the opportunity to finish well,” he said.
This law enforcement leader is offering colleagues support during their toughest times, during their lifetimes of serving and protecting.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline. It is available 24 hours a day.
Keith Landry
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