WARWICK, R.I. -- If you spend any time on the Newport Campus, chances are you’ve met Campus Police Officer Bob Milliard. A familiar and trusted presence, Officer Milliard is known for his steady professionalism, his easy rapport with faculty, staff and students, and his deep commitment to keeping our campus community safe.

What many may not know is that Officer Milliard also brings a specialized skillset to CCRI through his work as a peer support counselor for first responders who have experienced traumatic or high-stress situation; work that requires compassion, training, and the ability to support others during some of their most difficult moments.

In this month’s Thinkers, Doers & Achievers feature, Knight Knowledge spoke with Officer Milliard about his background, what drew him to this important work, and how critical incident stress management supports the law enforcement community.

Knight Knowledge: "Can you share a bit about your background and what first brought you to the CCRI Campus Police Department?"

Milliard: "I have been a police officer for the past 37 years. I began my career with the Bristol Police Department in 1989, worked for the New Shoreham (Block Island) Police Department for a summer in 2014, and have been with the CCRI Police Department for the past 12 years. I came to CCRI because I wanted to continue with my call to service; I wanted to continue to give back."

Knight Knowledge: "You hold a certification to provide counseling and support to police officers following critical incidents. What led you to pursue this specialized training?"

Milliard: "My 'certification' is in peer support.  I received training last summer from the Rhode Island Critical Incident Stress Management (RICISM) team. My decision to pursue this specialized training was because I wanted to challenge myself and get out of my 'comfort zone' with regards to law enforcement.  Most of my training prior has been with the 'hands-on' aspect of law enforcement, i.e. Traffic Accident Reconstruction, Crime Scene Processing etc. Peer support is equally as important."

Knight Knowledge: "For those who may not be familiar, what does this certification involve and what types of support are you trained to provide after a critical incident?"

Milliard: "Some of the support provided by the RICISM team includes on-scene support, crisis management briefings, pastor/spiritual support, family support, and post-incident education."

Knight Knowledge: "In your experience, what makes this work meaningful or rewarding for you?"

Milliard: "As rewarding as a career in law enforcement can be, it does take a toll both professionally and personally. Stress is an expected part of law enforcement and for most police officers it is something the experience several times every day. Police officers cannot control what type of critical incidents they are involved in, but they can, for the most part, control how they respond. In peer support, sometimes it is just a matter of listening; sometimes it is just letting someone know they will be okay."

Knight Knowledge: "How has your training enhanced your role within CCRI’s campus police team and the broader college community?"

Milliard: "My training is just another tool in the toolbox for the CCRI Police Department. We have a highly trained and experienced police department with officers who have had to navigate through all types of abnormal events. As we have seen, a critical incident can happen anywhere. The goal is to be able to help anyone here at CCRI manage a response to a critical incident, which facilitates their return to 'normalcy' (personally) and the ability to continue to serve the CCRI community (professionally)."

Knight Knowledge: "If others in law enforcement or public safety are interested in becoming certified, what path would you recommend?"

Milliard: "If a person wants to get involved in peer support, they should seek out training. Peer support is available in many different disciplines. One person can make a difference."

To learn more about the Rhode Island Critical Incident Stress Management TEAM or to seek training, please visit https://rhodeislandcism.com.