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A week of wellness at the 12th District
When Captain Beth Giltmier of the 12th District approached CAPS officers with the task of organizing a wellness week, an ini- tiative to help officers relax and relieve ten- sions, the team got together to brainstorm ideas that go above and beyond massages and chiropractors.
12th District officers, after learning about the tragic officers who took their own lives within a short time of one anoth- er, wanted to emphasize the necessity of taking care of each other and knowing how to de-stress.
“We wanted to think outside the box,” explained Paris Edwards, a 12th District CAPS officer. “We thought of some things that may be stressing officers out and then provided resources so that it would be a one-stop shop for officers who need them.”
From March 22 to March 26, officers from any district were welcome to take part in the list of services that were being offered, including comfort dogs, mindful meditation and financial planning. Yoga, among other activities, was offered three out of the five days due to its popularity.
One session that officers praised was reiki, an infusion of life-force energy that
fortifies the bioenergetic field, including the entire body and space around it. The session addresses body, mind and spirit, so anything is possible.
“Officers that participated in reiki said that they did feel more relaxed after their session,” Edwards noted. “They felt calm- er, and a lot of tension in the shoulders was released.”
In another session, a UIC kinesiology department instructor and two students conducted core exercise training. They also attended both roll calls to ensure all the officers would have an opportunity to learn exercises they could do while seated.
“They had officers participate in uni- form with the full vest and duty belt while seated in their chair,” Edward remarked. “They showed us that if we are in a station or a car, we can still do exercises in a seat- ed position that would maintain good pos- ture. The officers who finished and headed out to the street said that they felt more energized and looser.”
11th District officers promote safety in the community
When Sergeant Daniel Allen of the 11th District noticed community members re- peatedly raising concerns like narcotics and prostitution at the beat meetings, he decided the best way to promote safety within the community would be to walk with them — literally.
So with a combination of posting on social media, contacting community part- ners and physically passing out flyers, Al- len started a series of weekly safety walks in January. Community members and partners, along with 11th District officers, identify specific locations to come togeth- er and walk in those areas that are saturat- ed with concerns.
“We try to make sure that we walk in the areas where the majority or biggest issues take place from the complaints at a beat meeting,” Allen explained. “There’s always one or two main locations that are the loudest areas of concern.”
And it’s not just to prevent and combat crime — it’s also for city service requests, like lights being out, potholes and trees that need to be trimmed.
Allen regularly attends the safety walks, including the one on March 26 at the Di-
vision and Harding area, where 75 people participated. He emphasized his commit- ment to not only solve crime, but also to prevent it by bringing adequate resources like mental health treatment and job train- ing for those who need it.
“We want to do more than telling people to get off the corner and stop selling nar- cotics,” Allen noted. “We are working hard to gain the trust of the community through collaboration and partnership — that’s what this is all about.”
11th District CAPS Officer Yesenia Ro- driguez mentioned that a smooth part- nership between law enforcement and the community is a two-way street, which is why the safety walks are so important to the Department.
“It’s a positive way to talk to officers so that you can get a personal contact if you have a problem,” Rodriguez shared. “At the end of the day, in order for us to solve any problems we need the community.”
50 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ APRIL 2021