Honoring and Congratulating the Philadelphia Police Department Employee Assistance Unit on its 40th Anniversary.

WHEREAS, The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) was established in 1969 under the Counseling Unit with the goal of assisting officers with alcohol problems; and

WHEREAS, EAP evolved into its current state in 1987 after joining forces with the Police Department’s Peer Counseling Unit to aid Police Officers, Police Radio Dispatchers, Sheriff Deputies, School Crossing Guards and their respective children and families in overcoming problems that could possibly affect the officers, their spouses or dependent family members’ personal and/or professional life; and

WHEREAS, The program focuses on issues related to stress, chemical dependency, family issues and critical incidents; and

WHEREAS, The job of Police Officer is consistently ranked and regarded as one of the most stressful occupations in the U.S. and therefore this program provides a valuable and critical tool to assist the officers and their families in maintaining excellent mental and emotional health; and

WHEREAS, In the year 2008, the Philadelphia Police Department has endured for the first time in its recorded history, the tragic deaths of five officers, killed in the line of duty, culminating with the death of Officer John Pawlowski on February 13, 2009; and

WHEREAS, The EAP unit has been and will continue to be vitally important and committed to providing the highest level of confidential peer counseling and referral service in the areas of marital difficulties, emotional concerns, grief, chemical dependency, pathological gambling/financial concerns, personal stress, family and child issues, and all critical incidents involving Police Officers and the dependent family members; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor and congratulate the Philadelphia Police Department Employee Assistance Unit on its 40th Anniversary.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Philadelphia Police Employee Assistance Unit as evidence of the sincere appreciation of this legislative body.

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