- Quincy PD is launching proactive mental health initiatives aimed at helping officers process trauma and prevent burnout.
- Officers say being supported emotionally allows them to better serve the community and each other.
- Watch the video to hear from officers.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
They run toward danger. They calm chaos. But when the sirens fade, who answers their call for help? Quincy Police officers face trauma every day — and now, they’re learning to heal from it.
I’m stepping inside the lives of those behind the badge — and uncover how a shift in mindset is saving more than just lives. It’s saving the people who protect ours.
"Every call is different — you don’t know what you’re going to go into."
At Quincy Police Department, a quiet but urgent shift is underway — one that puts mental health at the center of the badge. And for officers like Johnson and Marshall, it’s a change they say can make a difference.
"Self-reflect and not beat ourselves up, but just walk ourselves through what we did on scene."
Chief Carlos Hill is leading the effort, searching for proactive tools that help his team decompress, talk through trauma, and take time when they need it most.
“…because when a person doesn’t feel good coming into work or they have anxiety coming into work, then their performance or work product…”
Hill knows some calls hit harder than others. From homicides to child cases, the emotional toll doesn’t end when the call does.
"Anything can happen. You can go to a call, and you may see a suicide, and that could trigger somebody. For me, a trigger would be going to a call and seeing something happen to a kid. I have a kid."
That’s why the chief’s mission is clear: build a culture where officers feel seen, heard, and human, not just for their sake, but for the community they serve.
"We want officers to be able to come in and say ‘I enjoy coming in, serving the public — it’s refreshing’."
Officers say the better they feel, the better they serve. And for Quincy PD, that starts with checking in with themselves and each other.
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