PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia police officers now have free access to mental health support thanks to a new partnership with the GUIDE App.
The app — designed for military veterans, first responders and police officers — is a confidential way to process mental health struggles.
“As an officer, we take pride in what we do,” said Roosevelt Poplar, president of the city’s police union, FOP Lodge 5. “We actually sometimes think we are invincible, which we know we’re not.
Poplar says it’s tough for officers to reach out to people and acknowledge they have certain mental health issues without being embarrassed or thinking they are being judged by other people.
He says with everything police see and handle on a daily basis, it’s important to have a space where they can seek support in an anonymous way.
Officers can log on for guided meditations, interactive questions, journaling and small peer groups.
“The app is basically a tool of support and, hopefully, get them to the point that where they feel they need to talk to a live body, they will reach out and speak to someone and get help through other resources,” Poplar said.