Officer Wellness (Conference)

Instructors: Timothy Cooney, Allyn Goodridge, Randy Sutton, Bob Bemis, Darryl Rivers and Shaneka Rivers

Timothy Cooney - Timothy Cooney is a veteran law enforcement officer with over 17 years of public service. He currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Police at a midsized law enforcement agency in the northwest suburbs of Illinois, where he leads with a passion for officer wellness, and training excellence. Throughout his career, Tim has held diverse leadership roles, including Narcotics Investigator, SWAT Operator, Patrol Supervisor, and Training Coordinator. Tim has a master’s degree in public safety administration and is also a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and remains active in Illinois law enforcement leadership circles.

In 2020, after facing the stress of living paycheck to paycheck and confronting the reality of having “too much month left at the end of the money,” Tim took control of his finances. He paid off $67,000 in consumer debt and turned that journey into a calling—founding TPC Financial Coaching to help fellow first responders do the same. What started as a personal mission quickly grew into a statewide initiative: Tim now leads the internal financial wellness program for his agency, resulting in over $1 million in turnaround among his coworkers.

Tim delivers no-nonsense, product-free financial wellness training grounded in experience—not theory. His certified presentations have been hosted by departments across Illinois and featured in publications such as Illinois Chiefs of Police Command Magazine. Whether helping a rookie build their first budget or guiding a senior officer toward retirement planning, Tim believes financial peace is a vital part of the overall wellness picture and one that law enforcement can no longer afford to ignore.

Allyn Goodridge – Coming Soon 

 Lieutenant (Ret.) Randy Sutton is Chairman of the Board and Founder of The Wounded Blue. Randy was one of the most featured officers on the popular television series “COPS”, having appeared in three separate seasons which led to his being cast in a role as a police officer in the Academy Award winning film, “CASINO” with Robert Deniro and Sharon Stone. Other film and TV roles followed, including “FOOLS RUSH IN”, “MISS CONGENIALITY II”, “THE ROAD HOME”, “CLOVERS MOVIE”, “AMERICA’S MOST WANTED” and a co-starring role opposite James Caan in the pilot episode of “LAS VEGAS”. Randy was born and raised in Princeton New Jersey, where after graduating High School, he joined the Princeton Borough Police department becoming one of the youngest Police Officers in the state. He served the town for ten years before joining the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department where he served for almost 24 years, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant.

Sergeant (Ret.) Robert Bemis retired in 2017 as a Supervisor in the Operational Training Division at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey. With over 30 years of law enforcement experience, he spent more than a decade as a trainer in many police disciplines and had worked in previous assignments as both a Patrol Trooper and Patrol Supervisor. In March 2015, Sgt. Bemis was severely injured while assisting a disabled motorist along an interstate highway. Following months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, Sgt. Bemis returned to his duties at the Academy and continued teaching for more than a year before retirement. He shares the experience of his final 22 months in law enforcement as author of the book - FORGED IN SCARS & STRIPES: A TROOPER’S VICTORY OVER CRITICAL INJURY. Following retirement, Sgt. Bemis continues to provide training on a variety of law enforcement subjects, and travels to raise awareness of the hazards present to emergency responders along our highways. He currently serves as Director of Training and Peer Advocate for The Wounded Blue, the national support and assistance organization for injured & disabled officers. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. As a military policeman, he performed high-level security assignments, first as a member of the helicopter squadron responsible for transporting the President, also known as “Marine One”; and later, for the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon.

Darryl Rivers – Darryl Rivers is a national human behaviors, communication, and leadership speaker and trainer. To accompany his 24 years of government service in both the U.S. Military and as a Law Enforcement professional, he is a psychology major with multiple certifications in human behavioral analytics, emotional intelligence, neuro-linguistic programming, accelerated learning, and he is a communications and body language expert. He has extensive policing, street investigations, UC/Surveillance, and felony apprehension experience from his time with the Detroit Police Department. His law enforcement experience was extended in the State of Arizona where he functioned as a Detective, a Sergeant, a Lead Special Agent of the States Tobacco Enforcement Unit (Office of The Attorney General), and a Hostage Negotiator.

After his retirement from Law Enforcement, Darryl started his own speaking and training business called “The L.E.A.D. Company.” One of the assignments he has been revered for is his work with the Arizona Department of Economic Security. There Darryl was contracted to engineer the creation of an internal security unit. He was hired to recruit, interview, hire, train, create policy, and supervise the statewide unit covering over 200 individual locations, while maintaining his other clients from across the nation. Darryl has established himself as a sought-after public speaker and trainer in both government and business circles. He is an Executive Director with the world’s largest leadership training company, “The John Maxwell Team,” and is mentored by John Maxwell himself. He has a unique, humorous, yet intellectual delivery to his training that puts him in high demand across the nation.

He is a highly decorated professional with multiple awards to include Officer of the Year, Life Saving, multiple Meritorious Citations, Multiple Letters of Commendation, Chiefs Excellence Award, Spirit of Detroit Award, and The Police Cross for being injured in the line of duty. To top it off, he received the department’s highest honor, The Medal of Valor for rescuing eleven hostages. He is a dynamic presenter, but most importantly he is a cop’s cop!

Shakera Rivers - Shakera L. Rivers is a certified health, wellness and fitness professional that is passionate about teaching the fundamentals of living a healthy lifestyle which leads to longevity and peak performance! Born and raised in a military household, Mrs. Rivers practices a disciplined lifestyle centered around wellness and performance fitness. 

With over a decade of client instruction, Shakera focuses on combining fitness and wellness to achieve the highest degree of balance, both physically and mentally. Using a variety of fitness formats such as Pilates, Tabata, HIIT, Yoga, and many other systems, she has worked with individuals with preventable illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, joint pain, and many other issues faced by working professionals. Mrs. Rivers has also utilized her craft with county jails in the State of Texas. 

She received her group fitness certification from the American Council on Exercise (ACE), yoga teacher training at Blue Anjou, Holistic Health Coach training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and which provided the necessary knowledge for hours of self-study on various aspects of health and fitness.

April 13, 2026 – 8am-12:00pm – Timothy Cooney

Session Title: Justice in Your Wallet – Financial Wellness for First Responders

Overview:
This 4-hour session will introduce participants to the connection between financial wellness and officer wellness, a key but often overlooked dimension of resilience. Attendees will learn tactical, step-by-step strategies to take control of their personal finances and reduce stress at work and at home. The course is practical, engaging, and built on proven methods — not product sales.

Outline of Presentation:

• Introduction & Icebreaker: Why financial wellness matters in law enforcement.
• The Current Landscape: The “scary truth” of personal finance in America and its impact on officers.
• Tactical Steps 1–3: Budgeting, emergency funds, and eliminating consumer debt.
• Tactical Steps 4–7: Retirement planning, college savings, paying off mortgages, and long-term wealth.
• Misconceptions & Myths: Credit scores, debt traps, and cultural money habits.
• Interactive Polling & Discussion: Audience engagement through real-time Q&A and polls.
• Wrap-Up & Key Takeaways: Building a culture of financial wellness in your agency.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will:

• Understand the role of financial wellness in overall officer wellness.
• Identify the foundational steps to reduce debt and build savings.
• Develop an actionable roadmap for retirement and long-term security.
• Gain resources to start conversations within their agencies and families.

April 13, 2026 – 1:00pm-3:00pm – Allyn Goodridge - Coming Soon 

April 13, 2026 – 3:00pm-5:00pm – Bob Bemis and Randy Sutton

The Wounded Blue’s S.E.A.L. mission aims to improve the lives of law enforcement officers who become injured or disabled while actively employed. The keystone of all activities offered by The Wounded Blue is Peer Support Advocacy – Individuals with shared life experiences supporting and empowering others facing similar challenges. It's a form of support that utilizes the unique perspective and understanding gained from personal experience to help others navigate their own journeys.

A RESOURCE FOR ALL OF US is an educational program created by The Wounded Blue to provide participants with an understanding of the benefits to accessing peer support networks within law enforcement, ultimately fostering a culture of wellness and resilience. This course is ideal for Agency Chiefs & Sheriffs; Command Staff; Municipal, County, State and Federal Government Policymakers; Rank/File Officers; Academies & Criminal Justice Schools; and Peer Support Programs.

Attendees will hear first-hand how the unique stressors and challenges faced by law enforcement officers may impact mental and emotional well-being, and how a structured and formal support organization like The Wounded Blue can be a lifeline to obtaining valuable assistance. Program presenters are veteran law enforcement officers, supervisors, trainers and survivors of critical injury or illness who travel the country to share their experience and bring positive changes to our profession.

For more information on how you can host RESOURCE FOR ALL OF US at your next event, contact The Wounded Blue Organization.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL: To provide participants with an understanding of the benefits of accessing peer support networks within law enforcement, ultimately fostering a culture of wellness and resilience.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will understand: 

1. The objectives of the S.E.A.L. mission of The Wounded Blue organization. 
2. How to identify and explain the key benefits of peer support programs for law enforcement officers, including improved mental health and well-being, as well as increased resilience. 
3. How peer support can reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health assistance within the law enforcement culture. 
4. How peer support can contribute to officer retention and reduce negative outcomes such as excessive force incidents and complaints.

April 14-15, 2026 – 8:00am-5:00pm – Darryl Rivers and Sheneka Rivers

Objective: Promote the overall physical and mental wellness of officers by providing them with the knowledge, tools, and empathizing with the importance of support systems necessary to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle. This program focuses on key areas such as performance nutrition, the importance of sleep, stress management, relaxation practices, healthy relationships, substance control, physical activity, financial stability, and future planning. 

Day 1

Ø Introduction / Course objectives – 1hr

Ø The difference between being in shape and healthy – 1hr

Ø Why wellness is vital to optimal performance for the Law Enforcement professional - 0.5 hrs

Ø The 9 keys to wellness – 4.5 hrs

Ø Open discussion / Q&A – 1 hr

Day 2

Ø Positive relationships and its role in wellness – 1 hr

Ø Communication skills – 1 hr

Ø Substance control and addiction awareness – 0.5 hrs

Ø Physical activity and Fitness – 1 hr

Ø Weight management – 0.5 hrs

Ø Financial wellness – 0.5 hrs

Ø Mental wellness and avoiding burnout 1 hr

Ø Action plans, sustainability, and accountability 1 hr

Ø The path to a good career and even better retirement 1 hr