Advisory committee backs broader wellness track; spotlights R3 and Checkpoints model for Texas law enforcement

The advisory committee to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement recommended on April 9 that mental‑wellness training be elevated and offered in multiple slots at the commission’s 2026 training conference in Waco, arguing that broader exposure would reach more small and rural agencies.

Chief Jeff Barnett, speaking for the committee, said a prior presentation by retired Dallas and Fort Worth leaders drew significant interest and that the group should avoid confining wellness to a single breakout. ‘‘If wellness is going to be a priority… it ought to be in an environment where everybody at the conference gets a dose of it,’’ Barnett said.

The committee screened a video from retired policing leaders Neil Oaks and Ruben Ramirez outlining the R3 partnership (a program formed through the American Warrior Association) and the Checkpoints model used in Dallas. In the video, Oaks and Ramirez described R3 as a proactive, peer‑driven wellness framework with retreats, vetted clinicians, family supports and confidential referral pathways; Checkpoints embeds routine supervisor or peer check‑ins to close the gap between incident and support.

Dr. Kevin Smith, a clinical member of the advisory body, urged measurable outcomes for any program the commission promotes: ‘‘Is there a way to measure outcomes in a way that would show that if you implement these programs, these numbers decline?’’ Committee members proposed tracking increased use of peer resources (for example, the Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network and Blue Chip) and regular reporting of anonymized connection counts as near‑term metrics of uptake.

Members stressed inclusivity: telecommunicators, detention officers and very small agencies were cited as groups that often lack access to training. Committee members suggested multiple presentation slots, a roundtable format and exhibitor‑hall engagement to expand reach. Staff said the commission’s schedulers currently plan classes and that this committee should recommend presenters directly; if selected, the commission would contact those presenters.

A small subcommittee was formed to prepare conference materials and a best‑practices guide for agency leaders; Chief Jeff Barnett agreed to chair that subcommittee and will convene interested members for planning. The committee plans to meet by late May or June to prepare for the August 10–13 conference timeline.

The committee framed the wellness work as complementary to, not a replacement for, agency‑level services: several members noted that local policy and supervisors remain primary responders but said the commission can help normalize resilience training and provide tools and referrals for agencies that lack clinician networks.

Next steps: the subcommittee will draft materials for the conference and identify recommended presenters (including R3/Checkpoints representatives and peer‑network leaders). The advisory committee will report progress to the commission as appropriate and seek presiding officer guidance on conference scheduling.