About Rich-

In 2018, Rich Elias retired as a Lead Firearms and Tactics Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, SC.  Rich spent most of his 24 years of federal service as a United States Probation Officer in the Northern District of Illinois, Chicago, where he served in numerous capacities.  During most of his law enforcement career Rich served as a law enforcement trainer specializing in firearms, defensive tactics, mental health, and trauma

management. Having an extensive background in the mental health field, Rich became involved in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) in 2009, following the shocking suicide of a friend/colleague.  Since then, promoting wellness within the first responder community and other professions has been his top priority. Rich has published articles in two international journals on the topic of CISM Peer Support.

Rich has developed CISM policies and procedures for multiple federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and served as Coordinator for the CISM Team at the FLETC in Charleston, SC and in the Northern District of Illinois. As a certified instructor through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) since 2012, Rich has provided CISM training and interventions to a multitude of law enforcement/first responder communities. In 2018, Rich established his consulting business, Elias Consulting, LLC, providing wellness training to a variety of disciplines on the topics of Critical Incident Stress Management, Peer Support, and Suicide.

In addition to providing wellness training, Rich serves as a law enforcement chaplain and trainer for the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team’s Strategic Chaplain Ministry headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, providing emotional and spiritual training and care to law enforcement personnel in the immediate aftermath of man-made and natural disasters.

Rich and his wife, Melissa, reside in Westerville, Ohio.