ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – A health program for law enforcement is coming to the City of Ithaca.

The Community Justice Center (CJC) and the Ithaca Police Department (IPD) have announced a partnership with Cayuga Health for an Officer Wellness Program. The program will focus on nutritional programming.

“I know this is something our officers are excited about taking advantage of,” said IPD Chief Tom Kelly. “We have an internal group that works on wellness initiatives, and when this opportunity came up with the CJC, we were glad to take advantage of it and work to get the program off the ground. We know we best serve the community when we have the resources we need to be successful. A healthy police department can help make a healthier community.”

IPD staff will have access to registered dietitians for personalized plans focusing on energy levels, stress, and adopting healthier habits.

“When law enforcement is taken care of, they can take better care of us,” said CJC Project Director Monalita Smiley. “This is a perfect example of the value of the CJC. When the first Reimagining Public Safety Plan came out, the officer wellness plan was broad and didn’t yet identify nutrition services. Then, when we spoke with officers, it scored highly as a practical and worthwhile initiative to try out. We took real data from conversations with law enforcement and developed a program to meet their needs with the goal of better supporting the community. That’s a win. I look forward to seeing this program grow and be successful.”

Officials say the program will be rolled out over the coming months.