by Alan K. Flora One of the earliest lessons I learned during my law enforcement career was to celebrate the wins. A successful outcome in a case assured me that I was making a difference and that my efforts were worthwhile. The wins sustained me and fueled my fire to keep pushing for more. I…

by Lori Johnson, TIJF Outreach and Development Coordinator Over the last 12 years, through our SHIFT program, The Innocent Justice Foundation has been working to support law enforcement and their affiliates in ICAC task force teams across the country by helping them learn to mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma. We are the National Training…

by David K. Frattare When I learned late in 2020 that I had tested positive for COVID, my first instinct was to rejoice ever so slightly at the idea of being able to self-isolate for ten days and spend some time alone with myself. I conjured up visions of college and my first few years…

by David Frattare When I proposed the topic for this article back in November of 2019, I was soaking up the sun in San Diego looking forward to a wonderful 2020, anchored by my son’s senior year of high school and a once-in-a-lifetime mission trip to Africa with my daughter.  What we got instead was…

by Jean McAllister, MSW All of the wellness research identifies the presence and use of social support as the most effective tool for protecting wellness when people work with or are exposed to seriously traumatic material. Many of us are aware of this and focus on making sure we stay connected to our team members…

By Michael Sullivan As law enforcement professionals our world is colored by our experiences at work. While you may not even be aware of it, the job does influence your relationship with your spouse or significant other.  You drive through your village, town, or city and see an intersection where you handled a fatal accident,…

by Alan K. Flora “ICAC is the toughest job in law enforcement.”  “No one should have to see what we see.”  “The weight of this job is almost unbearable.”  “There is more to do than we can ever possibly get done.”  These are all statements that I’ve heard time and time again. Members of my…

by David Frattare Front-line supervision reminds me of the garbage masher scene in Star Wars when Luke, Han, Chewie and Princess Leia are about to be crushed by two immense steel walls closing in on them from either side. No matter how high they climb up the pile of garbage, the walls continue to close…

by Alan Flora Some days are better than others, that’s just the way life goes. But so much of our happiness and success is determined by our daily attitudes. One person might begin each morning with enthusiasm, ready to take on the world and make great things happen. Meanwhile, another person is like, “Meh, I’m…

by Beth Medina CEO of The Innocent Justice Foundation My sister made me a bracelet last week. It’s a simple, small beaded bracelet made of colors of my choosing. Because I am a Harry Potter fan and proud of it, I asked for the colors of the Gryffindor House. As she fashioned the bracelet, she…