The St. Louis Police Group hosts mental health retreat for officers of color

ESOP, known for supporting racial diversity and inclusion efforts and denouncing racial bias in local police forces, will host the retreat from June 30 to July 3, the group announced Friday.

“In addition to the stress and trauma associated with working in law enforcement, minority officers are facing the increasing toll of racism, marginalization and microaggression within their departments and the communities they serve,” the announcement reads.

ESOP stressed that more police officers die by suicide than on the job, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“The mental health of police officers is a public safety issue,” Lieutenant Ray Rice, ESOP board member, said in a written statement about the effort.

Dr. Marva Robinson and Dr. Mental health practitioners Keisha Ross will provide and facilitate therapeutic support during the event.

Robinson is a licensed clinical psychologist and member of the St. Louis Association of Black Psychologists, who has conducted workshops for other clinical psychologists on how to address community trauma, according to ESOP. Ross leads minority stress relief groups and works with people of color focused on treating race-based stress and trauma.

The St. Louis Regional Business Council and TKC Holdings have signed on as the initial corporate sponsors for the event, as ESOP continues to fundraise, according to the announcement.