(Ed. Note: This blog is adapted from a presentation delivered to the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police’s (MACP) summer conference on June 25^th, 2019)

If you type “work-life balance” in a search engine, it is often defined as the harmony between personal and professional activities, related to an individual’s job and presence at home.

Historically, officer wellness has been viewed as the physical fitness of an officer. Today’s agencies recognize it’s important to show officers how to take care of both their bodies and mind. Emerging technology can help agencies better understand how the stresses of policing affect an officer’s mental health and provide guidance on how leadership can support personnel before the stakes are raised by a critical incident.