Wellness with Peer Support Team Leader Officer Shawn Frazin

Officer wellness shows up in every call for service, every tough conversation, and every split-second decision. In this episode of the Cape CopCast, we’re joined by Officer Shawn Frazin, a longtime patrol officer who’s stepping into a major new role as our Peer Support Team Leader, to explain what real support looks like inside a police department and why trust is the foundation of everything.

We talk through how peer support actually works day to day: a trained team, confidential conversations, and practical help when someone feels stuck and doesn’t even know where to start. We also discuss critical incidents and why a simple follow-up weeks later can matter just as much as the initial debrief.

Officer Frazin also shares how crisis intervention training (CIT) and NAMI resources change outcomes on mental health calls by giving officers tools to de-escalate, treat people with dignity, and connect them to services beyond a quick fix. Along the way, we touch on the department’s evolving wellness culture, leadership support, and why asking for help should be seen as strength, not risk.

Transcript

Welcome And Meet Officer Frasen

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Welcome back to another episode of the Cape Copcast. I'm one of your hosts, Lisa Greenberg.

SPEAKER_01 0:08

And I'm Officer Mercedes Simons. Together we make up the public affairs office. Today we have a very special guest. We have Officer Sean Frasen.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Yay! Welcome to the pod. Thank you very much. We're happy to have you. We wanted to have you for a few different reasons. First of all, you've been with the department for a while. You are one of our incredible patrol officers, but you also have recently taken on a new role that I think is really important to share with our community. So, first, if you kind of want to just walk us through a little bit about yourself, how long you've been here, what you do.

SPEAKER_00 0:38

Sure. Um, I mean, I've been here about nine years now. Awesome. Um, I've been on patrol the entire time, switched from nights to days, back to nights, by back to days. Um currently I'm on the day shift, uh, enjoying a little bit of normacy. Um it's better for the family this way.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

For sure.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Um, but but patrol is where I'm at. This way I'm out in the community all the time and get to see what's actually going on in our city.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Do you I was gonna say you must like being on patrol, you must like that uh interaction and being involved in not just the enforcement but the education.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Uh oh a hundred percent. Um when you ask an officer why they became a police officer, most of the answer is to to help people. And that doesn't necessarily mean taking people to jail and and writing tickets. It's also about education and getting them uh resources and and help uh where they may need.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

Love

Drones On Patrol And Missing Persons

SPEAKER_01 1:33

that. So um are you a drone operator too? I think.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

I am. I was recently uh asked to be uh a co-coordinator for the drone program, so that's a new role that I'm dual stepping into at the same time.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

You're just collecting titles. You're just collecting new roles.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

Yeah, they're like Pokemon cards.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

That's awesome. I mean, we've done a podcast on the UAVs, the drones, and how important they are, but it's nice to have someone who's on patrol who is certified to be a part of that as well, so that you know, if we do get a call where one is necessary, it can be much quicker.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Oh, absolutely. It's a it's a great resource. Um, something this department is really starting to uh get into. Um, but it helps us not only the criminal aspect, but um helping us locate uh missing people, missing endangered, uh a child who may have went to the park but got lost going home. The faster we can find them, uh the better.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

For sure.

Peer Support Team Relaunch Explained

SPEAKER_02 2:30

And recently, uh besides that title, you've taken on another title. You are the superior wait, wow, you are the peer support team leader.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Correct. It's fancy. That's something that uh the department has always had uh peer support in an aspect, but uh recently has been revamped where we actually have a dedicated team consisting of 20 members. Um that we all went to a peer support class, a 40-hour course on on the subject, uh in which uh uh yes, my fellow peer support members asked me to be the the lead on it. So uh knowing that it's an important program, I of course accepted. And now we're just trying to figure out the first baby steps, but the goal is to be there for for our fellow officers and and anyone else that's part of the department, because sometimes we look at we're always helping people, but we forget to take care of ourselves. And this is just an extra line to help with that.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

Yeah, and you're not gonna brag on yourself, so I will. I think uh one of the reasons why you're chosen is because you're naturally the guy that I feel like everybody goes to, and they just naturally just start talking to you about anything and everything, and you've always been someone who's very understanding because you've been through a lot yourself in positive, negative directions, you name it. And I think everybody just knows that you're the go-to guy, that you can go to them, you can just listen, but you can also have really good solutions. And I think that's the beauty of peer support is like having the options of if you just want to talk, you can talk. If you want me to try to help you with something, I can help you. And I think that you are one of the absolute perfect people for that spot.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

Well, I appreciate that. You're making me blush. Um, yeah, and a lot of times it's very as simple as someone will just ask, like, hey, I'm feeling this. Is this normal? And you're like, well, yeah, because we're we're ingrained, we're taught um growing up that oh, just rub dirt in it, move on, it's fine. But in actuality, those things can lead to something bigger. And if it's not addressed, or at least finding a way to cope with things, then it's gonna affect you later on in life or or in a worse situation. So it's easy to be like, sometimes I just need a vent and get it out, and I can I'm done with it. And sometimes it's just reinsurance that, hey, I'm not the only one that's feeling this way, and it's oh it's okay not to be okay sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 5:00

For sure. And I think a lot of it is like, you know, we have the chaplains, we have actual mental health counselors and those types of resources available. But I think what's great about this is it's peer support. So you're turning to people who know exactly what you've been through in some capacity. They are your peers, you're kind of on the same level, and and the peer support team is made up of people of all roles. There's officers, there's civilian staff, there's uh command staff, there's all different types of ranks and different types of people. And so I think it's nice to have that available because it's different than going to a pastor or going to a counselor.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Absolutely. And and we're more of like I would say a middleman if you need that. Like if you need something more that's because we're not counselors, like we're not trained in that, and I don't have all the answers, but I know who does. So depending on your situation, hey, you might need to talk to someone in mental health. You may be having uh relationship issues, financial issues, uh health issues, and we're kind of there to direct them to help them find the needs because it's kind of hard and it can be intimidating when I'm like, hey, I got all this going on, but I don't even know where to start. Who do I ask? Where do I go? Do I go to the clinic? Do I see a doctor? Do I call my insurance? So that's what we're here for to help give that direction and then check up afterwards to make sure that those resources worked. Because there's nothing worse than telling someone, oh, hey, go here. And when they try, it's a dead end or that line's no longer working or or something.

SPEAKER_01 6:32

Yeah. Now is that a parameter that you have in place for the program is to to do kind of a follow-up and check on them

Confidential Tracking And Follow Ups

SPEAKER_01 6:39

after. So recognizing that, you know, because it peer support is kind of natural in most cases, I feel. I think people just come and they just start talking, and in the back of your head now, you're probably like, oh yeah, this is peer support. Like let me treat this a little bit differently. Maybe law. I think you guys have a log, an anonymous log, right?

SPEAKER_00 6:58

So what th I don't like using the word log, but because everything is is uh confidential. Yeah. Um, and the only thing that is tracked is whichever peer support member of my team, whenever they get in contact with someone, either be on the phone or in person, all they log is the date and how long. And that's it. No names, no badge numbers, no ID numbers, there is no tracking uh in any way. Uh, and that's important because I know that none of us on my team would use that information in in any way, but I want everyone to realize, hey, even if there was, there is no, there is no log, there is no key that this is.

SPEAKER_02 7:41

You're not like keeping detailed notes of everything they said.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Now, the only thing that we do a new part that we're adding on to the peer support where um if there's a SISM event where they they get counseling and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_02 7:53

It's a SISM event for the people that don't know. So basically, if there's any critical incident.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

Right. That's where basically um a licensed professional comes in, um, it's held by an outside agency, they set up a basically a meeting that everyone gets together and talks about whatever incident. Uh the typical where uh like in the death of a child or a serious traumatic event, officer-involved shootings, stuff like that. That's where it's done to kind of let everyone put out what they're feeling and stuff like that. And it's a great uh program to help officers decompress. And what we're planning on doing is after that that goes away, because it drifts off, just a quick check. Hey, is everything still okay? Are you still good? So right now I'm working on dividing all those up to my team to go back and check with those people. And I would assume 99% of them would be like, oh yeah, that's I I'm good. That's in the past. But moving forward, I think that's a a good uh thing just to make sure.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Definitely. I think also there might be people who maybe something is still lingering and they don't want to take the step of saying, hey, this is still a problem for me. So having someone go to them and opening that door for them makes it less scary or intimidating to then be like, hey, actually, this is still having an effect on me. You asked, and now I feel like comfortable and in a place where I can share that. Whereas if you didn't ask, perhaps they would just bury it or carry it with them. So I think that's definitely a a good step to be taking. I'm curious from your perspective, because you said you've been here for nine years. So the culture of wellness and the importance of wellness to the department, I feel like you have to have noticed an evolution over

CIT Training And NAMI Resources

SPEAKER_02 9:40

the last nine years.

SPEAKER_00 9:40

Oh, yes. And not only in the department, just in the city in general. Um, so not only am I a police officer, I also work, I'm a crisis intervention team coordinator through NAMI, uh, which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Um, I learned about them probably about four years into my career. Uh my sergeant um at the time was uh Sergeant Matt Locke, great supervisor. She was big into NAMI. Recommended me to go to the CIT course because I was frustrated with the mental health system. We were going to the same calls for a Baker Act over and over again, nothing was ever getting done. Why is there no resources? So the department sent me to CIT training. I learned so much that that's available in the community, and I was frustrated, like, why why don't we know this stuff? Um and I was able to actually give people when we go to their house, instead of just baker acting them and see again in a few days, uh, was hey, uh talk to these people, call this resources. This resource is free, they will come to your house, these people will help you out that way. And I started to see a tick down in the amount of uh calls that we were going. The people that we saw every day were actually getting help and doing it at their own time and at at their own rate. So when someone's in crisis, the last thing that they want is to be pulled out of their comfort zone and taken to another facility. Now it's great, sometimes it's necessary when there's an extreme danger, but most of the time it's just, hey, I want to talk to someone and I need to get that help. Um now, one thing that the department started doing recently is every officer will be a CIT officer, which which is great. Um it's giving them that information day one, right? Before they even come on the road in pre-deployment, they're learning that. So they don't have that, what do I do or how do I help this person? They already have those answers, which I which I think is great.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

Or wondering like what's going on. You go to calls and you're like, I know this, I don't, I I don't like to use the word crazy, but like I think that's the first word that comes to mind. People are acting crazy and you're like, what's going on? How do I address this? How do I fix this? What are they experiencing? And so then it actually equips you with, oh, okay, they're in a moment of crisis. I don't have to put a label on anything, but let me see if if I apply these skills and just talk to them like they're a person and we can work through it together, that we can get them the help that they need to if it's for their mental health treatment, if it's something going on with their family, whatever it is, it helps you instead of um like meet meeting them up here at the um level of high intensity that they're experiencing, you can bring it back down to a reasonable level, talk to them like they're a person, and then offer them the actual resources that we have within the community to give them. Correct me if I'm wrong. I think you're also you're a NAMI instructor as well, correct? Yes, uh part of a military

Military Lessons On Mental Health

SPEAKER_01 12:39

background.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

So yes.

SPEAKER_01 12:41

Um just throwing it all out.

SPEAKER_00 12:43

Yeah, I'm uh 22 years in um now. Wow. I'm getting ready for retirement. Actually, I'll be eligible uh this month. Congrats. So I'm starting that process, closing a chapter, and then this way I can focus more. My plan on is actually separating from the military retired, and this way I can focus more on uh with NAMI and have more time uh because that's one of the big things. It's just the schedule's always busy and and deconflicting times is is challenging. But yeah, did 20 years military uh in the military. I was also a suicide prevention officer. Um, and then I worked as a victim advocate um for people going through traumatic uh events. Wow. And I think that's has a huge role on w who I am now and and why I do this, because the people that I knew that were that was uh the toughest, baddest uh people out there, that that these guys would never have issues and the movie star types and uh seeing the the things that they were dealing with and realizing we're all human, we all have these issues, and it's not about being macho uh to not show it. That's not the case. Right. If you break your foot, you heal it. You know, you put a cast, you rest it, right? Same thing happens when when you're dealing with the brain.

SPEAKER_02 14:05

That makes sense. And so now we have this peer support team here within the department. This is new. I know since I've even started, it's been what, two and a half years. There's been this kind of renewed focus within the department on wellness and mental health as well. It's it's good to see how much this is becoming a priority.

Stigma And Leadership Support

SPEAKER_00 14:26

Absolutely. And uh the reason, or not I wanna say reason, a huge contribution to that is we have um support from the top of the top down, right? Uh chief, deputy chiefs, captains, uh, they're all that they support it, they believe in it, they know that it's uh a crisis uh that's affecting the entire nation. And let's be on the front line, get ahead of it so we can prevent other things. Because this is where you can make or break not only the department, but officers and their lives, and it affects everyone down all the way down to their family.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

Definitely. Yeah. And the community. I mean, I a well officer is going to respond to anyone's own crises better than someone who's going through a crisis of their own.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

So absolutely. And um it's it's good that the community knows that and sees that because that's another um one of the stigmas is oh, if I'm having an issue, then that means I can't do this job I want, or I can't do that. And I always joke and say, Well, who do you want the one that that's flying your airplane? You want the pilot that's on medication seeing counseling, or you want the pilot that is faking it to make it and is one breakaway from having a nervous breakdown? Uh I will take the guy that's doing well. Yeah. Um, and everyone has has needs some help sometimes, whether it be uh police officers, firefighters, pilots, uh, you name it. And it's okay to say, hey, what what do I do from here? Absolutely.

Confidentiality Limits And Court Orders

SPEAKER_01 15:57

What are the rules with confidentiality?

SPEAKER_00 16:00

So we have confidential, there's two parts. There's confidentiality and then you have um privileged communication. So you have confidentiality and privileged communication. Confidentiality is what all of our members have. That means that any information that's discussed is to remain private with the exception of if you are actively committing a crime, uh, you're going to hurt yourself or anyone else or abusing children. Those are the three things that were mandated reporters. We have to notify. Um what that also means is the department, not that they would, can't make us tell, hey, what did this person tell you in peer support uh related to maybe an IA or something? No, it's completely separate. I I can't um disclose it. What confidentiality doesn't protect against is if there's a court order and a judge orders you to then have it. But I don't see those cases uh the only time that um privileged communication comes with the state of Florida is when you're talking to a licensed professional. Like so if we send you to a counselor or to a mental health profession and anything you tell them, that's considered privilege communication. A judge can't even order that. Good to know.

SPEAKER_02 17:13

Is there anything that we haven't asked you or anything you want

Feedback Request And Closing Thoughts

SPEAKER_02 17:16

to add?

SPEAKER_00 17:16

This is a growing program. We're learning along the way, so we're trying to get better. What I ask everyone is when I get done telling with them, please give us feedback. Like if something doesn't work and I tell you, hey, go here, call this number to let us know so we can address it or fix it. We're here to help each other and make sure that we all succeed.

SPEAKER_02 17:38

Absolutely awesome. Well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. We appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 17:42

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Yeah, you have so much knowledge and expertise. You're gonna be a grandpa soon, even though you, you know, you're probably too young feeling for that. But um, I think we all just really appreciate everything that you are at the department stepping into this role. And really um, it just further proves that all your peers really look up to you and they value um your contribution, not only in the road, but also just what you have to say to them. I think they take in and it it means a lot.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

So they trust you.

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Yeah, and that's something that I tell them all the time is whatever you tell me, and regardless before peer support, it was this stays between us. Um that's a huge point. Once you lose that that trust, it's gone forever and it's not worth it. So that's something that I can rest my head at night knowing that I got your back.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

That's awesome. I think it's great. It's not like a gossip program where you're like, oh hey, he just told me that he's like struggling with his wife and his kids and stuff like that. It's just it's it's a one-on-one, trusted program that people know they can take confidence in and hopefully walk away feeling somewhat better or know how um which direction to go to feel a little bit better. And I think that's the goal.

SPEAKER_00 18:56

And I'm really glad you say that. The last part I want to say is because the gossip thing, uh, peer support members don't even talk to other peer support members about a person. So I have no idea who the other member is talking to, who they're talking to, what they're talking about. I have no idea. And that's that's an important aspect too. It's not like we get together and say, oh, this person, that person. So that's that's also I'm glad you brought that up.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

I think that's comforting for people to know for sure. Yeah, absolutely. I'm so glad we have this, and I'm so glad you joined us. We'll have to uh catch up in a couple years and see how the program's evolved. I think that'd be cool.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

Definitely. All right. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 19:32

Well, thank you, and until next week.

SPEAKER_01 19:34

Thank you for joining us. This has been awesome.

SPEAKER_02 19:36

Super awesome. Have a good one and stay safe.