b'that offer new paths to recovery bystructures associated with self-aware- andsignificantreductionsinsigns activatingthebrainsnaturalneuro- ness,compassionandintrospection.andsymptomsofmentalhealth plasticity and the tremendous powerParticipant-reportedreductionsinissues. A critical finding of this study to self-heal.stressalsowerecorrelatedwithwas that the police officers reported Mindfulness Meditation decreased grey-matter density in thean improvement in coping skills and amygdala, which is known to play athe ability to manage levels of stress Mindfulnessinvolvesnonjudgmentalsignificant role in anxiety, stress andand reactions to crises (McCraty and attentiontopresent-momentautopilot processing.Atkinson, 2012, as cited in Cohen et experience. Mindfulness is a conceptThisstudydemonstratesthatal., 2019). stemmingfromancientBuddhistchanges in brain structure explain whyCan an Organization be Mindful? philosophy and is practiced to achievepeoplearereportingimprovements enduring happiness and to gain insightand are not just feeling better becauseResearch shows that stress can have intoaviewofthetruenatureoftheyarespendingtimerelaxing.anegativeimpactonthefollowing existence. A cross-sectional study thatInanotherstudy,Christopheretal.workplaceindicators:absenteeism examinedBuddhistmeditatorswith(2016)administeredaneight-weekcosts, turnover costs, employee assist-varyinglevelsofmeditationexperi- mindfulness-basedprogrammewithance program (EAP) costs, short-term ence found that increased meditation43policeofficersandcivilianpoliceandlong-termdisabilitycosts,drug experience was associated with posi- personnel:theyobservedsignificantplancostsandworkplaceincidents tive development of more positive selfeffects on reducing feelings of stress,(CSA, R2018).Both the OPP Mental representation,higherself-esteemburnout,emotionaldysregulation,HealthReport(2020)andtheChief and acceptance of oneself (Hlzel etanger, fatigue and sleep disturbance.Coroners Expert Panel Report (2019) al.,2011).TraditionalmindfulnessInaddition,policeofficersreportedmakefindingsandrecommenda-meditationistypicallycultivatedinimprovementsinresilience,mind- tionsthatsupporttheadoptionof formalmeditationpractices,suchasfulness,emotionalintelligenceandpeople-focused leadership as a means sittingmeditation,walkingmedi- improvedfeelingsofmentalandofsupportingthementalwellness tationormindfulmovements.Thephysical health (Cohen, et al., 2019).ofmembersandcreatingahealthy practiceofmindfulnessmeditationDuringarandomizedcontrolledorganizationalculture(OPPMental encompassesfocusingattentiononstudy,participantscompletedaHealth Report, 2020). Dr. David Klinger, theexperienceofthoughts,emo- 10-weektraumasensitiveyogaprofessorofCriminology&Criminal tionsandbodysensations,simply(TSY)programusingmindfulnessJustice at the University of Missouri-St. observing them as they arise and passthroughacombinationofphysicalLouis and senior research fellow at the away.Varyingmeditationpracticesmovement,breathingexercisesandPolice Foundation, presented research will differentially affect these specificintentional relaxation. Results showedlastyearonhowusingmindfulness attentional components.the practice of yoga has demonstratedcan enhance operational performance Neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, isbenefitformanymedicaldisorders,by building a safety culture. Dr. Klinger the ability of the brain to change con- suchasheartdisease,chronicpain,explained how inattention and routine tinuouslythroughoutanindividualshypertension and insomnia (West, etin policing increases the likelihood of life. The proportion of grey matter canal., 2016). Although not identified asrepeat errors and discourages critical change and synapses (structures thata mindfulness program, McCraty andthinking. High reliability organizations permit neurons to pass along electricalAtkinson(2012)observedpositive(HROs) are organizations and groups orchemicalsignalstooneanother)findings among a sample of Americanof people, such as air traffic control may strengthen or weaken over time.officersprovidedwithself-regu- systems,navalaircraftcarriersand Scientists now know that the brain canlationtrainingviatheCoherencenuclear power operations, who tend be altered, like plastic, and it can healAdvantage program.toworkinenvironmentsthatare itselfinresponsetomentalexperi- This program taught police officerscharacterized by extremely high-risk, ence. A study in Psychiatry Research:how to recognize signs and symptomscomplex,interdependentandhave Neuroimaging, a team led by Harvard- of stress and reactivity, and to engagethepotentialforcatastrophicerror, affiliated researchers at Massachusettsin self-regulatory practices that wouldyet these HRO cultures tend to have General Hospital (MGH) reported thebringtheofficerbacktoastateofexcellent safety outcomes when you first to document meditation-producedphysiologicalcoherence,primarilylookattheenvironmentthatthey changes over time in the brains graydefinedasachievingoptimalheartpotentially work in. matter (Hlzel et al., 2011). Magneticrhythm. The results indicated that theDr.KlingerusedHROsasan resonanceimages(MRI)showedtreatment group experienced signifi- exampleforpoliceorganizationsto increased grey-matter density in thecant increases in work performance,modelbydesigningstructuresand hippocampus, known to be importantfamily relationships and interpersonaloperationstodiscussdifferingper-forlearningandmemory,andinskills compared to the control group,spectives,continuouslyretrainingonThe Official Publication of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police15'