AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF)- This week the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office will receive important training to further professionalism, accountability, and officer wellness. The “Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement” or ABLE training program teaches officers how to intervene with another officer if it is necessary.
Law enforcement officers see a lot of things that can be difficult to process and can affect their mental health. Part of what ABLE does is guide everyone on how to recognize troubling signs of mental health issues within the department.
“We train our deputies to do everything else. We train them to drive, you know, shoot, defend themselves, you know, engage with the community,” explained Deputy Shawn Rhodes. “But we very rarely teach them on how to intervene with their brothers and sisters out in the field.”
Rhodes told NewsChannel 6 that it can be hard to step in when another officer is struggling…