By Ashley Silver
Police1
HOUSTON — Police in Houston are seeing success from a pilot program geared toward helping officers effectively mitigate stress through mindfulness.
FOX 26 Houston reported that the Houston Police Department is considering an expansion of its ‘PEACE’ (Police Enlightenment and Collective Education) program, which focuses on providing mental health support to officers using yoga and mindfulness techniques to put them in the best frame of mind when protecting and serving the community.
Yoga instructor Jazmin Porter leads groups of officers who voluntarily take part in the program. She believes mindfulness techniques can play an integral role in how officers make decisions in the field and how they react when engaging with the public.
“Your mind is directly connected to your emotions, and the way you feel, creates the way you act,” she said according to FOX 26.
Requests to join the program were sent out as a simple “invitation,” empowering officers to take charge of their mental health.
Many were receptive, with the ‘PEACE’ program becoming such a vital tool in the department that further expansion of the $50,000 program to additional cadet classes is now being discussed.
“It’s amazing, and I think it’s a great benefit,” Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said. “A relaxed officer, and also our civilian staff, is a better officer and better civilian staff to serve our community.”