One hundred thirty-seven police officers committed suicide last year.
Police officers are more prone to committing suicide than dying on the job, according to Warsaw Police Department Capt. Joel T. Beam at the Board of Public Works and Safety Friday.
On average, first responders from cities of Warsaw’s size will deal with 400 critical incidents that include things like CPR and murder scenes. The average citizen will see three or four critical incidents.
“And it’s very important that we have to deal with that. Our mental health in first responders both fire, police, dispatch, EMS,” Beam said.
Beam said the WPD was requesting permission to apply for a grant through K21 Health Foundation to cover the cost of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF).
Beam said the ICISF is a wonderful organization that deals with first responders and dealing with those critical incidents.
The nonmatching grant is for $20,000. Beam said they want to implement the program citywide to first responders to become mentally healthier.

    Pictured are members of the Warsaw Police Department and Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
  

Board member and Councilwoman Diane Quance asked if it will be offered to other officers in the county. Beam said yes, it will be a countywide program.
The board approved the grant application.
City Assistant Planner Jackson Longenbaugh requested approval from the board for the city’s participation in the 2024 Resilience Cohort: Urban Green Infrastructure program grant from Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute.
The program offers a professional tree canopy assessment, 400 hours with an IU fellow (intern), a communitywide tree-planting plan, up to 100 trees and professional planting and maintenance for up to two years, according to information provided to the board. The program is valued at about $142,000, according to a previous Times-Union article.
Friday, Longenbaugh said the city’s acceptance into the program was “pretty exciting news” and work on the program will start soon.
Concerts in the park were also discussed during the Board of Works meeting.
Recreation Director Stephanie Schaefer asked for approval of several things. The first was a contract with Entertainment Resource Group LLC for $40,000. The company is going to provide one national country artist to perform at a concert at Glover Pavilion July 19.
The second contract is also with Entertainment Resource Group LLC for $37,500 to provide one national rock artist to perform at a concert at Glover Pavilion June 21. Performers will be announced in April.
Schaefer also told the board the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department applied for a $7,000 grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation from the Richard, Evelyn and Jane Glover Charitable Endowment. The funds will be used to pay for five of the concerts in the park.
The board approved accepting the grant.
In other business, the board:
• Opened bids for the Park Avenue storm sewer improvements.
There were four bids: HRP Construction for $306,015 for the total base bid; G & G Hauling & Excavating, $249,999.95; Everest Excavating LLC, $299,883.98; and Exterior Service LLC, $277,414.
Wastewater Treatment Utility Superintendent Brian Davison requested the bids be taken under advisement and a recommendation be given at the next board meeting, which was approved.
• Saw Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose give Drew Brewton the oath of office for the Warsaw Police Department. He has completed his one-year probationary period.

    Pictured (L to R) are Warsaw Police Department Chief Scott Whitaker; Kathy Brewton and Claude Brewton, grandparents to Drew Brewton; Drew Brewton, wife Brittany Brewton and Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
  

• Approved pay application 5 to R. Yoder Construction Inc. for $118,368.10 for the Center Lake Recreational Trail construction.
City Planner Justin Taylor said the project has reached substantial completion.
• Approved the hirings of: Leigh Ann Denlinger as a full-time secretary at Oakwood Cemetery, at a pay rate of $22.40 per hour; Braxtin Wilson as a full-time groundskeeper at the cemetery at $20.15 per hour; and Hallelujah Davis as a part-time fire fighter at $10 per hour. The board also approved correcting the 2024 wage for Kim Arnold, an administrative assistant for the Planning Department, at $24.88 per hour.
• Approved a maintenance agreement with Core Mechanical Services for $3,387 to provide planned maintenance on all furnaces, air conditioning units and the direct water heater at the Parks office and maintenance building.
• Approved a $5,000 grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
The grant will be used for the Warsaw Public Arts Commission for a project that will involve the placement of a permanent art installation that fosters community engagement.