BY MANDY LOEHR AND NATE SMITH, EXAMINER STAFF WRITERS
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From serious car crashes, acts of violence, addiction and suicide, first responders and law enforcement professionals encounter a range of tragedies and death during their law enforcement careers.
That fact has been especially reinforced in recent weeks as Logan County law enforcement has handled a fatal car crash that killed two brothers, a double-homicide shooting that left two others dead and a violent stabbing in a public park — all on top of a normal case load that also includes angry domestic violence disputes and the ugly effects of sustained drug use and addiction.
Logan County Sheriff Randy Dodds said during his 30 years in law enforcement, “there are some things you never forget.
“There are some pictures that you just can’t get out of your mind after you have been on certain scenes. I can still see them today, but I would say that it is not something that keeps me up at night or causes me to lose sleep.
“Overall, I try to focus on the positive and try to not get weighed down by those difficult situations. Personally, my faith helps me a lot to work through these tragedies.
Bellefontaine Police Chief Brandon Standley credits sound training for helping officers remain professional in difficult situations.
“No matter how tragic the scene is, our training kicks in and allows us to do our duties,” Chief Standley said.
Between crashes, suicides, overdoses and homicides, “over the course of a career, most of us see a lot of deceased persons,” the police chief said. “But our dedication to find the cause is what matters at that moment.”
Officers will deal with stress and trauma through the ongoing investigative phase of a case, the chief said.
Officers will also share, “with others about how it may have felt at the time,” Chief Standley said. “We try to help each other through this because all process it a little differently.”
Sheriff Dodds pointed out that each law enforcement professional processes traumatic scenes differently.
“We all handle and process these things differently, but I would say that we all have to come to terms with the feelings and emotions that we go through. It’s so fortunate that today, we’re able and encouraged to talk about these things — years ago, we sometimes didn’t even acknowledge those feelings and that wasn’t good,” the sheriff said.
For that reason, law enforcement isn’t for everyone,” Chief Standley said, and requires, “dedication and a high volume of training to get through an entire career safely.
“We train a lot and remain sponges to keep learning.”
The sheriff and Chief Deputy Joe Kopus said as new deputies become seasoned officers, some of the “shock value” decreases when handling certain aspects of the job. However, there are still some particularly difficult scenarios that still can shake up even an experienced officer, especially when it comes to a calamity that affects the life of a child, they said.
Also compounding the difficulty of processing a crime scene or a crash site is the delicate nature and balance of working with victims’ family members, and sometimes having to inform individuals of a loved ones’ passing.
“That’s something that never gets easier, walking up to someone’s door to deliver that kind of news” Sheriff Dodds said. “However, we try to do what we can to stay with the family until others arrive, whether it’s family or friends or maybe a clergy member to stay with them.”
On those particularly hard days and traumatic scenes involving loss of life or severe injury, the LCSO officials related that there are a number of resources are available for their staff.
They related that Logan County’s Critical Incident Stress Management team has responded following several recent incidents that were particularly troubling for first responders, including the crash in March on State Route 117 that claimed the lives of three individuals and also the November double-fatal crash on Township Road 230.
Critical Incident Stress Management, or CISM, is led by a team of trained individuals to assist others through traumatic events. In the hours just after these two particular fatal crashes in the county this year, deputies, firefighters and emergency medical technicians who responded to the scenes were given the option to attend a debriefing type session, the sheriff and chief deputy related.
According to the CISM International website, the process allows participants to share their experiences, vent emotions, learn about stress reactions and symptoms and given referral for further help if required.
In addition to the group debriefing sessions, LCSO staff members also can take the opportunity to attend private counseling with ComPsych Guidance Resources Program offered as a part of the county’s health insurance, the sheriff said.
Area ministers also lend their support to area law enforcement through chaplain positions. Sheriff Dodds said Bellefontaine First Church of God Pastor Gary Brown has participated in the agency’s Behind the Badge Sheriff’s Academy and other recent activities.
“He has also done ride-alongs with our deputies. It’s been great for our staff to get to know him so that when these tragic situations do come up, they can turn to him for guidance.”
Pastor Michael Sandlin from Hi Point Church of Christ and other area ministers have leant their support as well to the sheriff’s office as well, officials said.
“In modern policing, we have developed new programs to assist employees through difficult cases,” Chief Standley said. “This can include our chaplain, counseling or ongoing support by others.”
Counseling and support services, especially in the immediate aftermath of particularly troubling incidents are critical to guiding officers through their careers.
“Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have some faith,” Chief Standley concluded.