Suicide by Cop
Recent studies of Officer Involved Shootings (OIS) reveal that as many as 40% of OIS incidents are acts of Suicide by Cop (SbC) committed by the suspect. This number rises significantly if the suspect is a recent veteran. A study by California State University, Fullerton, also found that for every completed act of SbC, there are as many as 50 attempts to force police to use deadly force by the suspect. The purpose of this course is to provide relevant training to reduce incidents of SbC.
Rick Wall recently retired as Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police at California State University, Los Angeles, and previously served with the LAPD for over 30 years, earning multiple commendations, including two Police Medals. Rick is an internationally recognized expert on Suicide by Cop, threat assessment, and law enforcement responses to persons with mental illness. He has provided expert witness testimony and investigative assistance on these cases for over 15 years and currently teaches a POST-certified course on Suicide by Cop: Assessment, De-escalation, and Investigation across multiple states.
Stephanie Kiesow is a former law enforcement officer with 16 years of experience and comes from a multigenerational law enforcement family. She now focuses her work on first responder wellness and suicide prevention while pursuing a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology, researching work-related contributors to suicide in public safety professions. Stephanie is an instructor for POST and STC, alongside her certified therapy dog, Zeena, who works with First Responder Wellness/The Counseling Team International, and develops customized wellness strategies for agencies nationwide. She is the best-selling author of Workicide and a frequent speaker and contributor to law enforcement publications.
Peer Support That Works: Next Steps
This session provides practical guidance for building and sustaining effective law enforcement peer support programs. Participants will learn how peer support promotes officer resilience, mental wellness, and reduces long-term risks such as PTSD and substance abuse. The session covers funding strategies, California’s AB 1117 confidentiality protections, liability considerations, crisis situations, and required training updates, including SB 456. Attendees will also gain insight into the Fresno PD Peer Support Team structure, on-call rotations, quarterly training, and wellness resources, providing a replicable model for implementation in their own agencies.
Jesus Cerda is a Fresno Police Department officer with more than 22 years of law enforcement experience and a proud U.S. Army veteran. His service includes assignments in patrol, district crime suppression, and as a K-9 officer partnered with K9 Elvis. Deeply committed to officer wellness and safety, Jesus has dedicated over 15 years to peer support, served as Employee Services Coordinator for seven years, and as the department’s Designated Infection Control Officer for more than a decade. He is also a mental health advocate, serving as President of NAMI Fresno and as a Director-at-Large for the Fresno Police Officers’ Association.
First Responder Addiction
Participants will be able to explain why first responders are uniquely vulnerable to substance use disorders, identify socio-cultural and occupational factors contributing to substance use in public safety, and define key concepts in modern biogenetic-psychosocial models of addiction, including the influence of neurobiology and genetics on risk and tolerance.
Dr. Stephen Odom, PhD, LMF, DAAETS, is Chief Clinical Officer of FR Health and founder of First Responder Wellness. With 30+ years of experience, he is a clinician and national speaker who develops culturally competent behavioral health programs that promote resilience, wellness, and sustainable organizational change in high-stress professions.
Trauma Recovery, Resilience, and Wellness
Suicide, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and many more emotional and stress-related problems plague the first-responder community. Hundreds of thousands of these brave public servants have unwittingly become victims of the professions they once loved. However, the suffering that results from a professional life of sacrifice and service can be prevented and mitigated.
Captain Dan Willis (Ret.) dedicated 30 years to the La Mesa (CA) Police Department, serving in key roles including violent crimes, sexual assault, child molestation, and homicide detective; SWAT Commander; Police Academy Instructor; Wellness Unit Coordinator; and Peer Support Team Leader. He is also the author of Bulletproof Spirit, a widely respected guidebook on emotional survival and wellness that has been required reading at the FBI National Academy for seven years. Captain Willis has trained more than 15,000 peace officers across 42 states and five countries, sharing vital instruction on trauma recovery, resilience, and overall wellness.
Officer Involved Shooting to Manslaughter: A Rains Lucia Stern Case Study
Mike Rains will walk attendees through his criminal case regarding the officer-involved shooting that turned into manslaughter charges against Jason Fletcher, a San Leandro Police Officer. It will also look at the external factors Mike faced from the District Attorneys involved.
Mike Rains is a founding principal of Rains Lucia Stern St. Phalle & Silver, PC (RLS), where he leads the Criminal Defense Practice Group and serves as emeritus Chair of the Legal Defense of Peace Officers Practice Group. With over 40 years of experience, he is one of California’s top trial attorneys, representing peace officers and high-profile clients in complex civil and criminal cases, including the “Corcoran 8,” the “Oakland Riders,” and BART Officer Johannes Mehserle. Mike also handles civil and labor litigation in state and federal courts.