Changes in Holland PD after DeKleine murder

HOLLAND, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - In the wake of the conviction and sentencing of former Holland Police officer Ken DeKleine for the murder of his wife, the Holland Police Department has made some changes to better support and protect each other.

"Because law enforcement is one of those careers, where it's stressful to be a cop and deal with what we deal with everyday," said Capt. Jack Dykstra of the Holland Police Department.

Which is why in Holland, a peer support team is available and has been for several years. What's new in the last few months is that family and friends of officers can voice their concerns through an on-line yahoo group.

The city's Human Resources Director also says that all 425 Holland employees get two free counseling sessions a year, and that has been an option for those employees for 20 years.

"The program has really been utilized across the board, by a lot of different people," said Gary Rahn, HR Director for the City of Holland.

Back at the police department, Capt. Dykstra isn't sure if the latest changes to the system could have helped spot what happened with officer Ken DeKleine.

"It could have given someone in the family a voice that they feel they didn't have," said Dykstra.

Which is what the Capt. says they are after, communication, both inside and outside of the Holland Police Department.

Capt. Dykstra said that the department has "challenged all the employees, not only police officers, but all the employees to say; hey, don't be afraid to admit this is stressful and it affects your family."

The Holland Police Department has also increased the frequency of its employee evaluations from once a year to once every four months.