March 11, 2024
The Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) will host a Law Enforcement Suicide Prevention and Awareness Seminar on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Central Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy, located on the Saline County Career Technical Campus in Benton.
The suicide rate among law enforcement is twice the line-of-duty deaths, and police officers are dying 22 years younger than the general population due to medical conditions primarily attributed to the lifestyle choices and stress of the job, according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
This week’s in-person training will be an annual event that addresses the stigma related to law enforcement suicide and highlights the preventative resources available to all local, state and federal officers in Arkansas. Nearly 100 participants are expected, with slated guest speakers to include experts in the field of suicide prevention and wellness best practices. The goal of the seminar is to help agencies develop wellness policies to better benefit officers and promote a healthy work environment.
