Scott Cothran was born and raised in Nashville, TN. The son of a Detective with the Metro Nashville Police Department, Scott spent his childhood growing up around the police department and idolizing his father. So, it was no surprise when at 21 years old, he entered the Nashville Police Academy. Six months later, at his police graduation, his father, Det. Billy Cothran, was the one who pinned his badge on his new uniform. Scott had the privilege of working alongside his father for several years until his father’s retirement. A few short years after his father retired, he passed away from alcoholism at the age of fifty-seven. This significant loss caused Scott to reevaluate his life and led him to ask the department’s wellness unit for help with his own addiction, becoming the first Officer to step forward and is still referred to as the “test case” for the Nashville wellness unit. During his 16-year career with Nashville Police department he was awarded the Lifesaving Award, Meritorious Service Award, the 2011 Investigator of the Year Award for the Metro Nashville Police Department and the middle district Officer of the year for the state of TN.

Scott shares his story of the continued substance abuse and trauma for police department all over the United States. Scott’s goal is to get past the stigma of treatment and help officers just like him to show them a better way of living.