Immediately following the attacks on September 11, 2001, the New York City Police Foundation (Police Foundation) launched the COPE-Columbia Cares Program, also known as Project COPE, to address the psychological impact of the events on all employees of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The program is a partnership between the NYPD, the Police Foundation and Columbia University Medical Center (Columbia) to provide comprehensive mental health services to all employees of the NYPD on a free and confidential basis. To achieve our goal, group stress management sessions presented by Columbia clinicians at NYPD facilities provide information and techniques to recognize and reduce stress. The 24-hour/7 day helpline and private individual, family and group counseling services provided by Columbia offer comprehensive mental health care to those who seek it. The mission of the Police Foundation is to enhance the effectiveness of the NYPD by providing resources that are not readily available to it. Traditionally, the Police Foundation supports programs focusing on the health and well being of NYPD personnel including sponsoring a police suicide prevention videotape and curriculum and establishing Cardiovascular Fitness Centers. While the objective of Project COPE is to offer free and confidential counseling, on a deeper level, the objective is to provide information and education to deal with the symptoms of stress and its impact on the lives of police employees whom we rely on in the time of horrific disasters affecting thousands and in the every day tragedies affecting individuals. Officers, however, are often unwilling to discuss their emotions because of the stigma that the police culture attaches to seeking help. They sometimes fear being removed from full duty assignments and having their guns taken away. Evidence from other disasters demonstrates that, if untreated, stress produces distributing outcomes in law enforcement officers including incidences of domestic violence, suicides and excessive use force. As such, the relevance of Project COPE to public health is that it allows officers to overcome the stigma and seek mental health services without the fear of reprisals. Consequently, it is in the best interest of the NYPD and general public when NYPD personnel seek the services of Project COPE in the post-9/11 period.
