Wellness within the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) started in 1994 when approximately 20 employees of different ranks attended critical incident stress management (CISM) training and became the Department’s first CISM/peer support team.  In 1997, the Department created a Special Projects Sergeant position out of the Employment Services Bureau, whose job duties included coordinating CISM and peer support, maintaining the CISM/peer support list, and facilitating response to critical incidents.  When officers were killed in the line of duty, this sergeant would liaison between the family and the Department to help plan the officer’s funeral.  The Employment Services Bureau’s lieutenant would help the sergeant during funeral planning.

In 2004, the PPD created the Employee Assistance Unit (EAU), which expanded the Special Project Sergeant position.  EAU was created as a voluntary employee wellness platform.  EAU consisted of one detective and one sergeant whose job details included coordinating the CISM/peer support team, reaching out to employees who were injured or sick to ensure they did not have any needs, talking with injured, sick, and soon to retire employees about their perception on their careers and the Department, exit interviews, meet with employees at risk or in need and connect them with resources, and creating opportunities for employees to talk with EAU about any issues or needs by being available and walking around precincts.  EAU also continued to help families of officers killed in the line of duty and the family of officers and civilians who died while employed by the Phoenix Police Department but not in the line of duty.

Over the next 11 years, EAU staffing grew to as many as four detectives, one sergeant, and one lieutenant and moved from the Employment Services Bureau to Fiscal Management Bureau, and back to the Employment Services Bureau.  Due to the Great Recession of 2008, the Phoenix Police Department, like many law enforcement agencies across the country, froze hiring and saw significant cuts to its budget.  EAU was one of many details that were reduced in size and given additional job responsibilities.  By 2014, EAU was down to two detectives and one sergeant.  The sergeant’s other job responsibilities included being the hiring/background investigative sergeant and supervised the information desk of PPD headquarters.