Troy Torrence: Health Management Specialist and Strength Coach

In continuation of our monthly theme, this week's guest is Troy Torrence.  A few weeks ago, we featured Louisana Detective Coory Joshlin.  Last week, we had Freddy Camacho, a retired Sergeant from California, living out his retirement on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii.  What do all three of these guests have in common?  No guessing or waiting today; the answer is CrossFit.  But that is just one of many things, including public safety careers.

With Coory, we talked about how important it is to begin.  To understand where work needs to be done, regardless of what point of your career you are in.  It is never too late to get to work on your fitness.  Why?  That is where Freddy comes in.  We wanted to show you what is possible in life after policing.  Poor outcomes, like heart attack, diabetes, cancer, and other maladies of stress, are not inevitable.  They are preventable.  Freddy is living his best life in Hawaii, post-law enforcement.  He is happy, healthy, and thriving.  Most importantly, he is resilient, using that strength to help others build back from the terrible fires his community experienced earlier this summer.

That leaves us with this week’s guest, Troy Torrence.  Troy is the Health Management Specialist for the Indiana State Police.  A role that he started in 2000.  The ISP has taken a forward-looking approach to officer wellness and performance for over twenty years.  In fact, one thing I learned that I did not know was their program has been going since the 1980s!   So make that forty years!

Troy received his Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology in 1999 from the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse.  Before working with public safety, he was a corporate wellness manager for the National Institute for Fitness.  His continuing education and certifications are extensive, and his knowledge and experience are invaluable. 

Everyone who works in public safety will fight an uphill battle regarding health and fitness.  But it is a winnable and, more importantly, a battle that must be fought daily throughout a career.  Diseases of Public Safety are manageable and, in most cases, completely preventable.  This is where Troy comes in.  From day one at the academy, he is focused on building resilience that will last over the span of a career.  This is not just to improve wellness but to drive high-performance levels.  

If you are looking to start a wellness program for your agency, I suggest one of the first calls you make it to Troy.  In this episode of the Coptimizer Podcast, we discussed the importance of starting early. Troy provides some specific ideas for things officers at any agency can do to get started.  

Remember, the life you save may be your own, so get to work!