SOUTH HADLEY — As part of an initiative to improve mental health and quality of life for police officers, South Hadley Police Department offers a “wellness room” for officers to decompress from the stresses of law enforcement and crisis response.

“We all walk with trauma, so what can we put in place to manage those traumas?” Officer Cindy Boyle said. “It has to be tailored to the person, and that’s why the chief added this place.”

The South Hadley Police Department used $4,500 of American Rescue Plan Act Funds to renovate the old records room with new carpet, lighting, paint and furniture. The small rooms include a reclining chair with heat and massage features, a Bluetooth speaker to play music or meditations, handheld massage devices, a chair for officers to unload their heavy equipment and a small fountain with light projection onto the ceiling. After officers calm their breathing, water and protein bars are available to refuel.

“This should be a staple in every police station,” Chief Jennifer Gundersen said. “Every police department has conference rooms or locker rooms; every police department should have a wellness room or zen den.”

Gundersen began discussions about the wellness room with Boyle after she returned from an International Association of Chiefs of Police conference about police mental health and suicide prevention. Examples of wellness rooms or “zen dens” were across the conference as one strategy to improve emotional health in police departments.

“Law enforcement has gotten better about this [health and wellness] but we’re still not there yet,” Gundersen said.

According to data collected from first-responder advocacy group First H.E.L.P., more police officers die from suicide than on active duty. One study found officers are three times more likely to struggle with substance use, particularly alcoholism, compared to the general population. Boyle and Gundersen add that an officer’s life expectancy after retirement is around seven years, and officers have high rates of cancer, heart disease, depression and burnout.

The wellness room, Boyle said, is the newest of several additions to the South Hadley Police Department that support mental health. Treadmills are available for officers who wish to walk or run while on duty, and dispatchers are encouraged to stroll around the neighborhood. The department added a griddle and hot plate to the break room to encourage more healthy meals in lieu of fast food. Workshops or training on healthy meal prep, meditation and deep breathing are part of the department’s multilayered approach.

“Maybe there will be an officer who won’t walk into this room for two years, but this space will be here for when they need it,” Gundersen said.

Sgt. Mike Pollen uses the wellness room after a long shift to ensure the stress and tension of the day remains at the office. He said he enjoys the private, quiet space and the massage equipment to work off any tension he carries in his shoulders and back.

“A lot of calls come with stress, and you hold that stress in your body. This helps release tension and helps officers be better versions of themselves,” Pollen said.

Not only does wellness ensure that police officers remain in the right headspace to de-escalate crises or respond to emergencies, Gundersen said, but it allows the people behind the badge to come home to their families clear-headed.

“We’re not just providing spaces for officers to be their best while they’re here. I want officers to be their best while they are at home as well,” Gundersen said.

Emilee Klein can be reached at eklein@gazettenet.com.