TCOLE subcommittee outlines critical‑incident support plan; considers state grant funds and training rollout

A Texas Commission on Law Enforcement advisory subcommittee met by video conference to develop guidance and resources for critical‑incident response and prevention for licensees and agencies.

The committee adopted a broad working definition of a “critical incident” intended to include not only single high‑severity events such as shootings but also cumulative stress from repeated traumatic calls. Members proposed producing two templates for agencies: (1) a resource and action guide directed to licensees that explains steps to obtain help and (2) a policy template for administrators describing when to activate peer support, who to contact, and how to document followup. The group also discussed drafting a short, agency‑editable email that administrators could send to employees involved in a critical incident to ensure timely outreach.

Committee members reviewed existing programs and training options, including the Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network (TOPN), post‑critical‑incident seminars (referred to in discussion as the Lehman/Lehmann seminar), and a check‑pointers approach used by several agencies. Members emphasized the importance of locating trained providers across the state, documenting provider qualifications (for example, critical‑incident training and appropriate licensure), and maintaining a current provider list or referral mechanism. The group discussed challenges for smaller agencies that lack in‑house peer teams and considered using regional peer teams or outside providers for debriefs and followup.

House Bill 3858 was discussed as a potential source of grant funding for expanded officer mental‑health services; members said the bill had created a funding pot administered through Texas Health and Human Services and that some agencies had not fully used the available funds. The subcommittee asked staff to research the bill’s current administration and to identify a contact at Health and Human Services who manages the grant application process.

For training and distribution, the committee proposed developing a one‑ to two‑hour online module explaining how to implement peer‑support and check‑pointer programs, to host core materials on MyTCOLE, and to present program examples at TCOLE and chiefs’ association conferences. The group planned to invite Ruben Ramirez, retired deputy chief of the Dallas Police Department, to present the Dallas model and to circulate a one‑page summary he had provided.

Next steps included drafting the agency and licensee guides, compiling a list of trained providers, and preparing training materials for TCOLE’s platforms and conferences. The subcommittee tentatively scheduled a follow‑up meeting in late March to review a proof of concept and to coordinate Ruben Ramirez’s presentation.