On the Job 

Blue Courage, a nationally recognized program containing workshops that cover topics such as police culture, resilience, and positive psychology, has been added to the basic and advanced training required of Ohio’s law enforcement officers.

The program was developed by Michael Nila, a former Aurora, Ill., police commander with support from the U.S. Justice Department, to teach law enforcement officers how to manage stress, increase engagement with others, and to fight cynicism.
 
David Dubois, a consultant for Blue Courage who is also the sheriff of Strafford County, N.H., helped instruct 25 trainers in November at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London.
 
He said he has seen positive changes in himself and his staff thanks to Blue Courage.
 
The program focuses on officers’ physical and mental wellness; discretion and practical wisdom; respect; positive psychology; and the long-lasting impact law enforcement has on others.
 
“We provide tools to law enforcement so that they can do the difficult job that faces them,” he said.
 
Blue Courage is a two-day course, but can be broken down in to shorter segments, Dubois said. The course involves a lot of interaction and is usually taught by a two-person team.
 
Howard Powers, a senior consultant for Blue Courage, who used to work for the Michigan State Police, said the program uses a holistic approach to help officers.
 
“We ask, ‘How can we take care of them so they can honor their oath?’” he said.
 
To keep the Blue Courage process going all year, agency administrators throughout the state will receive “executive” training. The commanders are encouraged to keep up communication with officers to remind them what they learned.
 
Blue Courage has been introduced at police departments throughout the country since its inception in 2013. Much of the program focuses on having a positive attitude and being proactive about connecting with the community.
 
In the back-cover text of his book, The Nobility of Policing: Guardians of Democracy, Nila wrote: “The reality of policing is that our officers serve in the most challenging of environments — often misunderstood, often criticized, and far too often placed into circumstances demanding a split-second decision out of which there can be no winners.”