By: Nicole Acker

Last week, the second wave of police staff participated in Resilience Immersion Training often referred to as “mindfulness” training. Mindfulness practice is quickly becoming a new preventative approach to stress management in all industries to include team sports, technological companies, entertainment, and has been introduced to Menlo Park Police Department by Richard Goerling of Mindful Badge. With a focus on mindfulness skill building to enhance self- awareness, attunement to others, compassion, wisdom and peak performance, participants learn skills that can be helpful in their personal and professional lives. These training models involve responders being aware of the occupational stressors and trauma of their profession and learn to thrive through the emotional and high demands in their roles as public safety professionals.

The police department is proud to be part of the mainstream surge in mindfulness education and encourages officers and staff to continue mindfulness practices. The Publication Broadcasting Service (PBS) is broadcasting a video presentation, Mindfulness Goes Mainstream, to explore the mindfulness practices of meditation and yoga through interviews of experts, trainers and participants. The Mindfulness Goes Mainstream briefly highlights our department’s participation in mindfulness training.