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olice may feel more stress than larger police departments because chances are higher that they personally know their victims or criminals, and if they need backup, it may be miles away. Also, because it is a small town community, everyone knows them and where they reside, personal issues will make the job much more difficult. Various programs need to focus on physical and mental health, it can mean the difference between life and death. 'There are numerous reasons why police departments should maintain (programs): they provide confidential and specialized treatment, raise morale, increase the departments efficiency and effectiveness, reduce early retirement or quitting, lessen workers' compensation claims related to stress, and improve general well-being of the officer and their families' (MacMillan, 2009, p. 1) There are many programs that are currently in place, such as the Law Enforcement Assistance and Development Program (LEAD), but they need to be re-examined. Most police departments offer some type of therapy through either internal or external methods. Internal and external methods rarely work because individuals who need help are worried that the therapist will report their case to the rest of the department, making them look weak or inferior. Because of the unsaid blue wall of silence, it will be hard to get officers to open up, so departments and families need to do a better job encouraging the use of these different programs.

Societal and family intervention can be the difference between life and death. If a family starts to notice major differences, help should be found immediately. '...anyone of importance in the officer's life must have an understanding of what an officer deals with on a daily basis and know how to get them to open up' (Perin, 2007, p. 4). The community needs to feel comfortable reporting what they see. The department can offer healthy alternatives which indirectly encourage positive coping. Having an open gym, and mandatory classes on health can highly reduce the impact of stress and policing. Also, having these programs in place will require additional employees, justifying extra budget space. If volunteer workers come in to help, it will increase ties with the local community and boost group morale. Working on communication will highly increase team efficiency, this can easily be done through peer counseling, or mandatory weekly meetings. It will encourage the idea of sharing feelings which can literally help save lives and reduce victimization from anger or guilt displacement. It will ensure officer safety in smaller departments who sometimes need to request back up from a nearby department. Also, it will increase group cohesion because the group will get to know each other better. Group cohesion also includes an officer and his family, by making family counseling available, domestic violence is highly reduced.

Having excellent physical health can make a huge difference for a police officer. 'Choosing to be healthy is the best weapon against the negative influences of stress. Once a commitment is made to fight back against the negative factors of stress, life becomes healthier and more enjoyable' (Harpold & Samuel, 2002, p. 5). Having various exercise programs, meditation/ relaxation programs, and classes about nutrition will create a more efficient and healthy department. Working out will increase positive brain chemicals and heighten the officers chance of achieving