Utah agencies prepare with mental health support in tough times
Dec 19, 2024, 9:00 AM
WEST VALLEY CITY – The apparent murder-suicide of five family members, leaving a surviving but injured 17-year-old in the hospital, is just one example of what are some of the worst cases that first responders experience.
Justin Boardman, a law enforcement consultant and former investigator, left the West Valley Police Department in 2017.
A West Valley City Police Department vehicle outside the scene of an apparent murder-suicide pictured Dec. 18, 2024. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)
“Being my former department, it’s certainly dear to my heart,” Boardman said. “And I can empathize with how they’re feeling and going about this tragedy.”
Among the other services, Boardman now helps agencies nationwide implement mindful policing that focuses on helping officers understand what they’re going through and when they need to ask for help.
Justin Boardman, a law enforcement consultant and former investigator who left the West Valley Police Department in 2017, pictured Dec. 18, 2024. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)
“Having that in a normal routine is becoming more and more acceptable,” Boardman explained. “We need that empathy and compassion. We need to understand how our brains work so that we can help ourselves helping others.”
A new law, focused on mental health resources that went into effect in July of 2024, requires agencies to offer some kind of mental health support.
Read the full story and more from Mike Anderson on ksltv.com.
