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On this episode of the First Response Podcast, PepperBall CEO Bob Plaschke sits down with Retired Mesa, Arizona Assistant Chief Ed Wessing to discuss what the transition out of law enforcement actually looks like, and what it reveals about the hidden cost of a career in policing.
Wessing describes the strange quiet that follows retirement: phantom phone vibrations, the slow realization that the midnight call is no longer coming. For police leaders, those calls meant injured officers, critical incidents, and life-and-death decisions. That weight accumulates over decades, and recovery takes time and intention.
He also discusses trauma response and instances where leaders set aside personal reactions and focus on supporting officers, staff, victims, and community. Healthy outlets matter. So does a culture where asking for help is not a liability. The suicide rate among police officers remains a serious concern, and modern agencies increasingly treat wellness as a core operational priority, not a private weakness.
This episode also focuses on community trust and how it has evolved alongside wellness. Wessing contrasts older metrics such as arrests and citations, with a newer standard: officers spending meaningful time in neighborhoods, building relationships before the next crisis. Collaborative problem-solving now includes city services, resident engagement, and a broader definition of public safety, but the goal remains crime reduction. Listen to the full episode here:
