The New Haven Police Department is taking significant steps to prioritize mental health and wellness among its officers. Police Chief Karl Jacobson emphasized the challenging nature of police work, which often involves exposure to stress and trauma, including tragic deaths and incidents involving children and troubled families.
“I’ve been in law enforcement for 27 years across two departments. In the past, the response to stress was often to just have a drink. We know now that this approach doesn’t effectively address the underlying issues,” said Jacobson.
To address these challenges, Jacobson collaborated with Lt. Michael Fumiatti to establish the department’s first mental health and wellness coordinator role.
“With our officer numbers decreasing, our officers are frequently exposed to increasingly traumatic incidents. It’s crucial that we ensure they receive the necessary resources and support to process these traumatic experiences,” explained Lt. Fumiatti.
Previously serving as a district manager and leading the crisis negotiation and intervention team, Fumiatti will now focus on supporting his fellow officers. His responsibilities include monitoring the types of incidents officers respond to, organizing debriefing sessions, providing peer support, introducing comfort dogs, arranging for guest speakers, and creating opportunities for officers to decompress.
This new role serves a dual purpose: enhancing officer wellness internally while also leveraging community resources to assist New Haven residents dealing with issues such as substance abuse, mental health challenges, and homelessness.
“As the saying goes, ‘hurt people hurt people.’ This resonates with me because an officer who hasn’t received proper support after a critical incident may inadvertently struggle to provide the best service to our community. By prioritizing the well-being of our officers, we aim to deliver a higher quality of service to our community,” Jacobson noted.
The department’s renewed focus on community crisis response includes the implementation of an emergency housing program, underscoring their commitment to addressing broader community needs.
