Trauma-informed leadership for a modern police force

Written By Stuart McNish

Guest: Bob Rich (former chief, Abbotsford Police)

Bob Rich knows all too well the challenges police officers face. One of them is the exceptional volume of PTSD inducing events police officers face during their careers. Trauma as an occupational stress injury became a focus for him when, as police chief in Abbotsford, two of his officers took their lives.

He went to work to find out what was happening: why were police officers taking their lives and what could be done to change the culture of policing in British Columbia – work that became critical in the wake of the murder of one of his officers. Chief Rich worked to ensure the trauma of losing one of their own wouldn’t lead to further loss of life in his department.

In retirement, Rich has focused his energy on sharing the insights he and his team were able to develop and reduce PTSD and trauma for first responders.

In this episode of Careers That Matter, retired Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich takes us inside his career – a career that is making a difference.

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Stuart McNish
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