The Port Hope Police Service has announced a new partnership aimed at strengthening mental wellness resources for officers, staff and their families.
Under the initiative, members will gain access to Harper Can Help, a Canadian platform designed for people working in high pressure and high risk professions. The service says the program will be available to sworn officers, dispatch personnel, civilian employees, along with spouses, partners and adolescent children.
Police leaders describe the move as part of a broader commitment to supporting wellbeing both on and off the job. They note the cumulative nature of operational stress and the potential impact exposure to traumatic incidents, long hours and ongoing responsibility can have over time.
Harper Can Help is presented as a confidential check in tool that allows individuals to better understand stress, fatigue and burnout. According to information released by the service, the platform is not therapy or counselling and is not tied to employment files. Results are private to the individual user.
The service says mental wellness plays a key role in maintaining professional effectiveness and community safety. Officials add that healthy members contribute to healthier families and workplaces.
By expanding access to supports, the Port Hope Police Service says it is continuing efforts to build a culture that recognizes both physical and psychological readiness.
Members and families are being encouraged to make use of the resource as it becomes available.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
