Across the country, law enforcement agencies are rethinking wellness as more than just good slogans or EAP brochures. Washington State is leading that shift. Through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC), agencies of every size joined an eight-week wellness challenge that treated health as a professional competency — something measurable, trainable, and shared across ranks. The program upleveled from “self-care” to total readiness: stronger bodies, sharper minds, and more resilience. By combining competition, clear metrics and statewide leadership, it created a blueprint other states could follow.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley talks with Lexipol’s Mandy Nice, Camas Police Department Chief Tina Jones, and WASPC Program Manager Terrina Peterson about how WASPC’s Wellness Challenge translated that vision into measurable success. The statewide initiative focused on five pillars — physical fitness, mental health, nutrition, peer support and family wellness. It paired clear goals with leadership support, coaching, professional wellness guidance housed in Lexipol’s Cordico wellness app, and friendly competition that inspired lasting behavior change across Washington’s first responder community.

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.