Milwaukee reports 8 on and off-duty officer deaths since 2019; Wellness Team aims to ease that pain

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Police Department is making mental health a priority through their Wellness Team. The team's purpose is to help officers cope with trauma and loss experienced on the job.

For years, there was a "move on" feeling no matter what happened in a police officer's day, said Asst. Chief Nicole Waldner of the Milwaukee police administrative bureau. 

"You just deal with it, there was no talking about it, there definitely was no tears shed about it. There was nothing, you just went to work, whatever happened to you, you shook it off," said Chief Waldner.

That's the mentality Chief Waldner has been determined to change. With 27 years on the force under her belt, she says it's something needed now more than ever.

Since 2019, MPD has lost eight officers who were on or off duty. The pain is felt deeply.

The Wellness Team first came about in 2016. It's a combination of full-time psychologists, a chaplaincy program and a peer network.

According to the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, mental health is a big issue on the force. A study notes that 160 law enforcement members from across the nation were lost to suicide in 2022.

Chief Waldner has one message to her team -- that help is out there. She wants other agencies to follow suit.

"Any other law agency that doesn’t have a program, I encourage them to do whatever they can. Find the funding," said Chief Waldner.

For more information on the Wellness Team, click here.