Police shift changes make room for stress and wellness talks

Powder Springs police make time during officer shift changes for conversations about crisis, stress and wellness, Nichols Center founder and CEO Tara Nichols told the City Council Oct. 19.⁠[1]

Nichols highlighted the practice while presenting the Georgia city with the 2026 Opioid Prevention Education Network (O.P.E.N.) Champions award. She described it as “recognizing that preparing for the next call also means caring for the person who answers it,” according to the city’s meeting summary.⁠[1]

The recognition also reached beyond the police station. Nichols pointed to the department’s block party, Empower Powder Springs and a joint behavioral health resource fair as efforts bringing prevention into community life. She also credited ongoing collaborations with Cobb County and educational summits.⁠[1]

Interim City Manager Tammi Saddler Jones said afterward that the award did not mark the end of the work. “Many of these initiatives will remain ongoing, as will our partnerships with entities such as the Nichols Center, community health organizations, and others,” she said.⁠[1]