Self Destruction By LEOs

**PapaBear** · 07-26-08, 06:42 PM

Here is a site that addresses suicides within the law enforcement community. A retired California Highway Patrol Sergeant is actively involved in the group. Please share this information with all of the officers you know. In the past few years this dreaded issue has become a pressing problem in the LE community and, as has been stated, generally swept under the rug by agencies that experience a self destruction. Officers should be afforded competent treatment and made whole so they can return to their jobs with the ability to perform their chosen tasks - not fired and cast aside like a used plastic bag!

THE BADGE OF LIFE
A Psychological Survival Plan for Police Officers

Serving the United States and Canada

http://www.badgeoflife.com/home.php

Tracking Police Suicides 2008

NOTE: The tracking of police suicides is based on news reports, over 6,000 Google Alerts reviewed each month, and verifiable reports received from individuals. Studies show 17 - 20 percent of police suicides are misreported and a number are successfully kept from the media, but we don't see evidence that the difference is extravagant. As our data bank and profiling grows, we hope we can provide researchers a solid base by which to draw at least some general conclusions on patterns and areas on which to focus. Statistics from various sources can be found that are much higher, but the numbers and backgrounds we provide are sound and can be easily verified.

Our effort to see a national system of reporting continues.

http://www.badgeoflife.com/suicides.php

**Retmilleo909** · 07-26-08, 08:27 PM

One of our men, while attending a meeting at Htrs., walked into the men's room and shot himself. During the meeting he was his usual happy go lucky self and showed no signs of stress or depression.

http://www.psf.org/

This Foundation has been tracking police suicides since 2004

**sgtbear111** · 07-26-08, 10:03 PM

Lost a close friend, also a trooper, in spring 2003 to suicide. He died of depression, terminal depression. A priest explained it this way,: Depression removes allteratives, only one way out, thru death. Death becomes the only escape, the only way to turn off the noise."

My friend avoided contact with his family, friends, hid out alone on-duty, and the year prior, refused an order from a Sgt. (me) to meet him for lunch; "I dont work for you.......I'm busy now".

I gave him the benefit of the doubt; a friend having a shitty day...shouldn't have pulled rank on him.......... if I only....if I woulda, shoulda coulda...........damn I miss him.

He was quite cheerful several days before he hanged himself; he had mader his suicide decision and was 'free'.... I was pissed, and still am pissed at him for whst he did. The priest provded an explanation, but his Lt and Sgt, also friends, thru hell. They supervised the deputies, troops, and city cops he worked with who had to investigate, cut him down, the coroner was a friend.... Two more cops I had worked with were lost to suicide in the next year, both in January 2004.

Depression seems to be the common killer; whatever it manifests, solitude, rejection, booze and drug use are some indicators. We must watch out for our brothers and sisters, and use any means available. If those means include reporting them up the chain, or personaly taking them into protective custody...we must. The career may be affected, but first the life must be saved.

We need to learn the symptoms of depression. We need the tools necessary to save a life, one of ours.