Dec 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 12

A BADGE OF HONOR
healing our heroes
Congrats on Forty Years
Let me start by wishing The
BLUES Magazine a Very Happy 40th
Anniversary. Forty Years of bringing
so much valuable information to
our Law Enforcement Community.
The BLUES Magazine has been
proactive as it grew over the years
with the changing times and generational
growth. Beginning back
in 1984 which most of us know as
the “Suck it Up or Get Over It” or
“Drink Our Mental Health Visual
Memories Away” era. The BLUES
Magazine provided some of the
most groundbreaking and factually
correct Mental Health Information
which has no doubt saved numerous
lives over the years.
The Mental Health community
has grown with Peer Support
programs, Training and Awareness
and as well as the many different
Mental Health modalities which are
now available. We have gone from
drinking ourselves into a coma, to
visiting gym and yoga studios to
help release the stress. We have
evolved from one of the highest
divorce rates, to somewhat stable
family settings.
The stress of for Law Enforcement
officers today far exceeds
what many of us have encounter
years ago. Many of the visual traumas
remain the same, verbal, and
emotional stresses have increased,
and continue to weigh heavy on
many of our officers.
Throughout time, officers have
raised their hands to take the oath
to protect and serve the public.
They go out on the streets to
protect their respective communities
from criminals who terrorize
the law-abiding public. They risk
their lives and place themselves
in danger for a nation, that at one
time, had respect for the person
wearing the uniform. But times
have changed. Officers today must
endure the continued decline in the
LEOS social climate that restricts
them from doing their job to the
best of their ability.
The public and many of its community
leaders, including a number
of cities and states, have devalued,
restricted, and sometimes condemned,
the Officers who place
their lives on the line each day
just to accommodate the social
outrage. The mental stress of not
being able to perform your job the
way you were trained, or restricting
the rule of law as they see fit,
can cause any officer to plummet.
When we remove the Officer’s
sworn purpose to uphold the law,
or place limitations on his training
skills, it causes mental stress far
worse than any visual trauma they
may encounter. This is the reason
for mass exodus and early retirements,
a record low number of
recruits, and sad to say, one of the
highest in Suicide rates.
It is only through the wide range
of available Mental Health resources;
do we have officers able
to cope with the job at hand. The
number of Officers utilizing mental
health services has grown substantially
and continues to grow each
day, as it has become a tool for
survival both on and off the job.
We now have a program to fit
SAMANTHA HORWITZ &
JOHN SALERNO
almost every LEO’s mental health
concerns. The list is endless and
the research behind each program
is intense, to make sure the Officer
is receiving the very best in treatment.
There are no limitations today
in what an officer can do to lower
his job stress levels. Long ago, we
only had drinking or basic couch
therapy. Today, we have everything
from trail hiking to clay shooting,
from rafting and canoing to yoga
stretching. The development of
EMDR, Mindfulness breathing, and
Meditation have proved positive.
Many of the programs now include
the family, bringing understanding,
compassion, and spousal interaction
to the home.
The BLUES Magazine has become
one of the most supportive Mental
Health Advocates, by raising awareness
to all the Men and Women
who serve this great Nation. Forty-years
of continued service and
growing.
A Badge of Honor we will never
stop giving our all and supporting
our Heroes who support us every
day.
Thank You, Ret. NYPD Detective,
John Salerno
154 The Blues 40th Anniversary Issue