COPLINE LEAD TRAINERS
Sandri Kramer
Suicide Prevention
Program Director
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
Sandri Kramer, a founding member of the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Network (LASPN), has over 25 years of experience in suicide prevention/intervention and crisis center work. As Didi Hirsch’s Director of Community Relations and Special Projects, she focuses on Program Development, Community Partnerships, and Public Awareness/Training. After many years of grassroots work with law enforcement partners, overseeing the launch of LAPD’s 911 call diversion project is one of her proudest achievements. She is also currently working on
expanding SPC’s role in emergency management as a core center of the national Disaster Distress Helpline, strengthening the center’s collaborative partnerships with numerous law enforcement agencies, and getting ready for 9-8-8. She serves on numerous coalitions and task
forces, including as vice-president on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Crisis Organization Directors (NASCOD), as a member of the Board of the Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA), as an original member of the LA Mayor’s Challenge Team on Suicide
Prevention for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families, as a lead trainer for CopLine, and as a member of LA’s Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) Community Partnership Council.
Jay Nigdmon
Ph.D., ABPP
Police Psychologist
LAPD Behavior Science Service
Jay Nagdimon, Ph.D., ABPP is a police psychologist with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Behavior Science Service. Previously he directed the Suicide Prevention Center at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Center in Los Angeles from 1994 to 2004. He is a former Board Member of the American Association of Suicidology and a founding member of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network – California. He has a part-time private practice in West Los Angeles.
Charles Stringham (Chuck)
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Chuck Stringham retired after 34 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He started his law enforcement career in July 1982. After graduating from the Academy in February 1983, he was assigned to the Custody Division, Court Services Division, Field Operations (patrol) Division, Administrative Division and Leadership & Training Division. In May 1997, Chuck was promoted to Sergeant. He was assigned to the Field Operations (patrol) Division and Office of the Undersheriff in the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau. In October 2000, Chuck was promoted to Lieutenant. He was assigned to Field Operations (patrol) Division, Homeland Security Division, and Leadership and Training Division. In 2009, Chuck was promoted to Captain. He was assigned to command the County Services Bureau. Chuck retired in 2015 and in 2018, he went back to the Sheriff’s Department as a Chief to assist the newly elected Sheriff with his first year in office. Chuck retired again in December 2019.
In 2005, Chuck graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy for Law Enforcement Executives.
In June 2020, Chuck became involved with Copline as a listener and has taken on additional responsibilities as the Copline Training Cordinator.
Chuck has earned an A.S. in Criminal Justice, an A.A. in Liberal Arts, and a B.S. from California State University, Long Beach.
Stephanie Samuels
MA, MSW, LCSW
Police Psychotherapist
Founder/Director COPLINE, Inc.
Stephanie Samuels is a psychotherapist who works exclusively with police officers. Ms. Samuels has lectured all over the country on PTSD and vicarious trauma, including undiagnosed PTSD and the fallout from departmental silence after officers are involved in critical incidents. She is the Founder and President of COPLINE, Inc., the first Confidential National Law Enforcement Officers’ Hotline in the country manned by retired officers. She is also the general partner of The Counseling and Critical Incident Debriefing Center, LLC, which specializes in debriefing and long term counseling of first responders and their families. She taught at the Monmouth County Police Academy for 16 years and has been a guest lecturer at The FBI Academy in Quantico.