Protecting and serving the community are true vocations. Our police professionals, paramedics, and firefighters are never truly off-duty, as they’re driven by a 24-hour devotion to serve. I grasped the enormity of this responsibility during my Leadership Frederick-coordinated ride-alongs with Frederick City Police, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and Frederick County Division of Fire & Rescue Services. These front-line opportunities gave me and the rest of my cohort an unfiltered look at the challenges facing public safety professionals. My glimpse into their workdays, coupled with my experiences at Public Safety Day, left me with some key takeaways:
Mental health is a community priority.
Mental health advocacy is a less overt, but important aspect of public safety service. The departments work consistently with the community—and each other—to support mental health. The Crisis Car pilot program is an extraordinary initiative that puts mental health front and center. The Crisis Car pairs a non-uniformed City of Frederick police officer with a civilian mental health professional and an EMT/paramedic from Frederick County Division Fire and Rescue Services. Working as partners in an unmarked police car, the team responds to mental health crises across the City of Frederick. By partnering on this effort, Frederick County and the City of Frederick maintain joint awareness of community challenges. And in supporting the public, they’re also supporting each other, providing access to counselors, training, and destigmatizing mental health challenges.
A steady workforce is the way forward.
We’re fortunate to live and work in a community with a demonstrated commitment to public safety. Whether through School Resource Officers, the K9 Unit, or Maryland State Police helicopters, our public safety departments work to protect and serve their residents and visitors in more ways than we realize. That being said, the demand for public safety careers is high, but the supply is dwindling. On-the-job hazards, fatigue, irregular hours, and stress are deterrents, and the workforce pipeline must be steady to support community needs. Thus, community support, workforce training priorities, and funding directly impact public safety.
Education is a collective responsibility.
One of my greatest takeaways was that our public safety departments aren’t just available in emergency situations. Dedicated in mission and in practice to public service, our departments want community members to connect with their offerings, whether it’s through volunteer opportunities, ride-alongs, or engagement with policy. Websites, social media, and community events are ideal opportunities to learn, explore, and ask good questions.
Public Safety Day and my ride-along experiences challenged my perceptions and touched my emotions. I thank our Public Safety Day Content Leaders (and members of the best class ever), Fire Chief Tom Coe, Division of Fire & Rescue Services, Captain Jeff Eyler, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick City Police Chief, for a fully-formed and powerful experience.
Ellen Buchanan is a member of the Leadership Frederick County Class of 2021-2022 Cohort. She is a marketing professional with a passion for growing communities and enriching lives through digital storytelling. As a Communications Specialist at Platinum PR, her responsibilities include developing and implementing multi-channel advertising and marketing strategies, conducting media outreach, creating social media, website and blog content, assisting clients to reach their communication goals, and conducting virtual meetings and events. Given the opportunity, Ellen also goes behind the lens of her camera to highlight communities through photography.
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.