Mental health app available to first responders
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The officer involved in that overnight shooting is recovering at Albany Med but even after he is released from the hospital local law enforcement officials said the incident will have lasting health implications. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said help is available.
“That’s something that that officer is going to think about for the rest of his life, you know. our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” said Apple.
He agrees with studies that have found that first responders on the frontlines, including dispatchers, deal with more trauma than the average person.
“That’s why you find out that suicide rates, divorce rates, alcoholism rates are very high, unfortunately, for this profession,” said Apple.
He said more people seek help now than they did in the 80s and 90s, when he first joined law enforcement.
“People would go home before in the old days when I first came on, we’d go home and have a few beers and just kinda hope you forgot by morning. And you didn’t. Many of those images that I've witnessed over the last three decades I still see constantly in my head, from different instances that have occurred,” said Apple.
He called the officer involved shooting that happened overnight tragic.
“Last night is going to startle a lot of young police officers, let’s be real…They may not be able to cope with it, they may need some avenue to make things easier for them in their mind,” said Apple. “It’s okay to say you need some help. Use the resources that are out there.”
That toll on mental health is something he’s worked to address for all local law enforcement agencies. In October, they rolled out an app to help deputies with mental health, and it’s already saved at least one life.
“The person reached out to the individual who runs our program and said, ‘If it wasn’t for that app I probably would’ve taken my own life’,” said Apple.
He said it’s all anonymous, they don’t see who is using it. And it’s not just for the sheriffs, it’s available to all law enforcement agencies and their families as well.
For more information on the Cordico app, contact the Albany County Sheriff’s Office for the information you need to download it. 518-487-5440 ContactSheriff@AlbanyCounty.com
Apple said with each generation that stigma around mental health is lessening and urges first responders to find healthy avenues to cope, like getting exercise and eating right, but most importantly he said you should talk to a professional or someone you trust.