The Unspoken Tragedy
This only makes the news semi-regularly, but it was mentioned in the DOJ report of all places:
- Buried among the facts and figures in the Justice Department’s recent book-length report on the failings of the Chicago Police Department was a telling statistic: The rate of suicide among CPD officers is 60 percent higher than other departments across the U.S.
Among the ranks of the nearly 10,000 patrol officers of the CPD, an average of three officers will take their own lives each year, according to life insurance claims information from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, the union representing the bulk of the department’s sworn officers.
In the past decade, 13 officers have been killed in the line of duty. Nearly twice as many officers died by their own hand during the same span.
We've mentioned it on more than a few occasions, let people know that Peer Support is available, encouraged officers to keep an eye on their co-workers, especially when they know that something heavy is going on in their lives. Oftentimes, it isn't enough.
Please, if you're in a dark place and it looks bad, call someone - Peer Support, the Chaplains, a partner, a friend. One of the hardest parts about being a cop, the person people turn to for help, is realizing or admitting that we might need help, too.
Please, if you're in a dark place and it looks bad, call someone - Peer Support, the Chaplains, a partner, a friend. One of the hardest parts about being a cop, the person people turn to for help, is realizing or admitting that we might need help, too.
Labels: info for the police
posted by SCC at 12:03 AM
45 Comments:
I know of 6 officers that took their own lives. One because of the job and the others due to domestic issues.
Guys/gals talk to someone. There is always a way to get through what troubles you, though it may seem there is not. Please open up.
Great documentary to share with our brothers and sisters. It's from around 1984, but as you can see, not much has changed. Stay safe!!
http://mediaburn.org/video/the-battered-badge/
God bless those we've loss. Why won't they help?
As we speak, I am looking to switch over into the medical field... Two and a half years of college starting in March. This career field is finished, I will them look for an out of state job when I finish.
As those that were on the job when a Cline was Supe,every Officer suicide he blamed on the Officer having personal problems and it had nothing to with the job. If you think for a minute that the Powers that be care a flying rats ass about your well being,you're delusional.
Hey people, haven't Dean and Greg fed off of the Lodge 7 long enough. These guys have done nothing but helped themselves to our dues. As a group we have attention deficit disorder. It was not that long ago where we as an organization were missing big money in legal defense with no documentation as to where or was getting that money. Purge Flop 7. Get people that want to help the group not themselves into office. All these clowns are from a previous circus. Dean recently traveled on our dime to politic with retirees on our dime in Florida from what I understand. Him and the wife. Where are the audits? Our cash is spent fast and furiously with not accountability. At the last meeting a female police officer called them out the huge golf outing expenditure and Caparrelli, who I am not usually a fan of manned up said yes it was a big expense and he voiced concerns to board but no one listened. I think he is the only guy up on Washington with a brain and a conscience!
Ladies and Gentlemen. This could be perhaps the most important advice you may receive throughout your illustrious careers. You are human, you feel regardless of whether you are conscious of it or not. Your body will digest the things you see on a daily or not so daily basis. Your mind however has a way of protecting itself to avoid an overload of stimuli and in turn can cause unforeseeable harm such as cancer, stroke, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety. This is avoidable and before you write this off as bullshit look outside yourself, think about your family and friends and co-workers. Talking, venting and letting out the toxic waste that can accrue over time whether it be short term or long term issues will only help your health, know that you are first and foremost not alone and there are people who care about you. Pride is fools gold, talk with someone, meet with a counselor, express yourself in anyway that will allow you to comprehend the ugliest parts of this job so that you may move forward healthy and alive. It can eat you up and spit you out if you don't have the tools to approach it. We all care about each other whether we agree on some issues or disagree about others. All of us, and I mean all, when push comes to shove will be there for you if you need it. The co-worker or white shirt who may give you shit or climb your shoulders to improve their position in this department will still reach out to support you. We are a fucked up and at times a dysfunctional family, but we are all still family.
The Mayors appointee on the Board describes Chicago as a "War Zone" because of the homicide rate.
The VRI money used is to curb the Homicide Stats" Not provide protection to the law abiding Citizens and Tourists in Chicago.
Keep the Stats down for the upcoming Election. Keep the Mayor employed. Where is the Community Policing Unit ?
Where is the Neighborhood Watch Citizen Groups? Where are other City Services to assist the Residents in these "War Zones"
Chicago only wants Federal Money
nonymous said...
As those that were on the job when a Cline was Supe,every Officer suicide he blamed on the Officer having personal problems and it had nothing to with the job. If you think for a minute that the Powers that be care a flying rats ass about your well being,you're delusional.
1/30/2017 01:51:00 AM
Cline? I count him as one of the worst superintendents in modern history, right next to Uncle Terry. A couple of the ways Daley ruined this department, along with the police board who took their marching orders from City Hall
1/30/2017 02:45:00 AM,
I was with you until your last four sentences. If you truly believe that nonsense, you are delusional. As much as you apparently wish it were so, in the light of day, the reality of it all is much different than your perception.
The rate of police suicides is high enough over the rest of society. Chicago's police ratevis 60% higher than that? Wow. Chicago is something special. Could it be our corrupt and heartless politicians? No need to wonder there.
When I had ten years on I already knew a dozen troubled cops who ended their lives. There were numerous more since.
Cops being hated by everybody contributes to this tragedy. So sad!
Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Please seek help.
75% of all promotions are merit or cheaters. Just look at the current crop of bosses. It hurts when you find out the job isn't on the square. Take the politics out of the department. Was just watching WGN, Barbara West was a guest. What the heck is her claim to fame? Has she ever made an arrest?
Bullshit!!!! The lie is go home safe and family comes first ..... all lies and we are family... right cooter
Sure were all family, wait to see when you go iod. Your just number in this department. If you need help, look into your self for strength. I found that out a while ago
please for your sake and family and friends. rethink, its a permanent solution to a temporary problem. get help talk to somebody.
Visit your Doctor l,Have your Blood Pressure Checked.
Anonymous said...
Hey people, haven't Dean and Greg fed off of the Lodge 7 long enough.
@@How do you feel about Aguliar, Capparelli, DiMaria, Donahue, Dougherty, Hauser?
These guys have done nothing but helped themselves to our dues.
@@Look how much Angelo cut salaries! And who voted against lowering salaries, Graham, Aguilar, Donahue, Dougherty, Garza.
Purge Flop 7.
@@and elect you? Mr. Anonymous?
Dean recently traveled on our dime to politic with retirees on our dime in Florida from what I understand.
@@The national lodge requested he come there to address the DOJ and retiree health care. Retirees nation wide are being screwed with Obamacare. The national paid his expenses. This was asked and answered at the general meeting which you were at standing in the back.
Where are the audits? Our cash is spent fast and furiously with not accountability.
@@where is your outrage when Donahue made 209K in 2010. The trustees back then were kept in the dark for good reason. We would have gone nuts over this.
At the last meeting a female police officer called them out.
@@use her name since your both running on the same ticket.
Capparelli, who I am not usually a fan of manned up said yes it was a big expense and he voiced concerns to board but no one listened. I think he is the only guy up on Washington with a brain and a conscience!
@@Were you around when we threw Capparelli out of office for lack of work ethic? $30 meal and $75 bottle of wine. He paid out those excessive salaries because he was getting one of them too. When we threw him out of the building he went to a federal task force with unlimited O.T. But Donahue and Shields still paid him 2k of our money every month to keep his mouth shut about the salaries.
1/30/2017 02:17:00 AM
I’m voting for Angelo because I never want to see a City-Wide guy back in that building. Officers knowing who not to vote for is just as important who you vote for.
No better time for me to say thank you to all the boys in blue, for all that you do.
Call the next case. Not a cop.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
As those that were on the job when a Cline was Supe,every Officer suicide he blamed on the Officer having personal problems and it had nothing to with the job. If you think for a minute that the Powers that be care a flying rats ass about your well being,you're delusional.
1/30/2017 01:51:00 AM
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Indeed, the same was true (and in many respects still is) of the attitudes in the military, and in a different vein the attitude of the NFL toward players who suffer from CTE and its attendant psychological issues.
I read a pretty good book awhile back written by an NYPD detective titled "Blue Blood", he joined the department after going to Harvard (claimed he was the only Harvard grad on the dept, which was probably true) and was the son of an FBI Agent.
A recurring theme throughout the book, and he says it more than once, was "You can love the job, but the job isn't going to love you back". That's so true, for any job, and probably goes double for any job in the public sector, especially being a cop.
Good book, he talks about all of the inane crap they have to put up with in their department, usually as the result of some bone headed decsions by the brass. In that respect, it's a lot like this blog.
This is on Drudge and Breitbart.
I recently retired and have seen way to many CPD suicides, please talk to each other, back each other loneliness the quiet person talk to them! The bosses are are only here for themselves and worry about next undeserved promotion, personally on the job today there is not 1 boss that i respect or 1 that really cares for us! 9191 (patrol officers to the media) are all we have, the Blue shirt means everything, rahm and the 50 goofs plus add in "crazy toni" they could less if we survive or not! Please talk to each other God please special blessing on officers here and everywhere during these extremely troubling times for our city and nation!
President Trump back the police but it takes time to install the correct assets to dismantle the criminal elected lets hope the elected are forensically audited and indicted soon, the swamp in this city/county/state is very murky, very dirty!
"As those that were on the job when a Cline was Supe,every Officer suicide he blamed on the Officer having personal problems and it had nothing to with the job. If you think for a minute that the Powers that be care a flying rats ass about your well being,you're delusional."
It has been some time back now but I know of an officer who lost some close family member(s) and what did their "second family" say to them to show they cared? Not a fucking thing besides their partner. The only thing the Dept. did was issue an admin message. Apart from jerking them around for the number of days they're entitled to.
As those that were on the job when a Cline was Supe,every Officer suicide he blamed on the Officer having personal problems and it had nothing to with the job. If you think for a minute that the Powers that be care a flying rats ass about your well being,you're delusional.
Damn right they don't give a flying fuck about anyone but themselves and their own career advancement. Activity, numbers, promos, politics - blue shirts be damned. These bean counters and administrators who run the show do not want you to be well. In fact, they prefer you to take your last living breath behind the wheel of that squad car. Just like a battery that's outlived its usefulness, throw it away and replace with a fresh one. That's what we are to them. They don't want you to take days off or to make use of your comp days or bfds. They don't want you to use sick time. The whole job has been designed to make it as difficult as possible to seek peace in your personal life. Even when you become legitimately ill, mentally or physically, you are punished for using time to recover. I'm surprised the number of suicides aren't higher considering how bad morale has become.
The fact of the matter is that p.o.'s are just as susceptible to PTSD as our military personnel.
The harmful effects of PTSD are also cumulative and after years on the job can leave an officer in a very bad place if not treated.
When an officer experiences an event outside the realm of normal human behavior and is a shock to the senses, it has been my experience that the police culture has always been, to suck it up and use alcohol as a coping mechanism with your fellow officers at the end of the shift. To talk about one's feeling and emotions was looked upon as a sign of weekness, however,, police are wired as any other human being and to ignore those feelings is to kick the can down the road and lead to divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, and suicide. Any progressive p.d. will have programs in place, such as, Critical Incident Stress Management Policy and Procedure, which would mandate an officer who experiences an incident such as a line of duty shooting or death of a child, to name a few, to see a mental health professional trained in dealing with these types of incidents and police officers. Education on C.I.S.M. can benefit officers, as well as, their families in understanding the risks involved and resources available. Much more could be said, but more light needs to be shed on police suicides across this country. Retired p.o. 37 years on the job
The job is depressing, no doubt, don't blame it, work around it, have outside interests, fuck going to the bar, pickup your Bible or book of choice,
I've lost several co workers most shortly after retirement, there are other alternatives to swallowing your gun.
Dear God, this is totally unacceptable! Everyone that wears that badge has to know that a lot of us appreciate what you do everyday, and I personally thank you for putting your lives on the line for us each and every day you put that uniform on. You have no idea who I am, but I say prayers for all of you that you return home safely to your families after your shifts.
We can't allow this to get any worse. This is tragic. There's always that guy on the watch that you can talk to or have a chat with. EAP is good, talk to your partner. Do what you need to do. We all talk shit and we all have our differences. That doesn't mean we ever want to see any of us hurt or worse. God Bless you guys/gals. The biggest and best family I ever joined years ago.
Anonymous said...
75% of all promotions are merit or cheaters. Just look at the current crop of bosses. It hurts when you find out the job isn't on the square. Take the politics out of the department. Was just watching WGN, Barbara West was a guest. What the heck is her claim to fame? Has she ever made an arrest?
1/30/2017 08:10:00 AM
100%
Unfortunately to many the precious is everything.......
Yeah, tell that to the guy they are trying to fire for putting his gun in his mouth. Sounds like he was drinking and depressed or something and was threatening to kill himself at his house. Instead of getting the guy help, they fired him. The dept says they have your back and are there to help you until you need help, then they're nowhere to be found.
Don't believe me, read the police board case.
https://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cpb/PoliceDiscipline/16PB2918Charges.pdf
I wrote about my experiences with this subject after my last OIS...thought I'd drop it here for anyone to read if they like. It is a bad place to be, but there is hope. Take care of each other, no one else will.
https://philosophicalpipehitters.com/2016/12/07/what-they-never-told-me/
Go to the Dr at least 1x p/year.If he says you have high bp, take the fucking meds and don't deny it like i did. 1 week in cardiac icu got my mind right. i believe in eap's foundation, but when i needed them,they could have cared less.... they sucked. i'm going back a few years now, so things may have changed.
good luck, be safe.
"When I had ten years on I already knew a dozen troubled cops who ended their lives. There were numerous more since.
Cops being hated by everybody contributes to this tragedy. So sad!"
Please, all you men and women out there remember, there are so many of us citizens who respect, appreciate, and support the job you chose to do. You could have done anything, but you chose to serve our city and deal with the good, and extremely bad events and actors in society. Words can't express what a noble choice that is. Every day that I'm going to and from work I am glad you are out there, I'm a 134 electrician so I see a lot of the same areas that you do, Places and people that would make your average citizen wet themselves. I say a silent prayer every time I see a squad rolling through the hood. There's no shame in asking for help if you're going through some shit. Stay safe and god bless.
The fact of the matter is that p.o.'s are just as susceptible to PTSD as our military personnel.
The harmful effects of PTSD are also cumulative and after years on the job can leave an officer in a very bad place if not treated.
When an officer experiences an event outside the realm of normal human behavior and is a shock to the senses, it has been my experience that the police culture has always been, to suck it up and use alcohol as a coping mechanism with your fellow officers at the end of the shift. To talk about one's feeling and emotions was looked upon as a sign of weekness, however,, police are wired as any other human being and to ignore those feelings is to kick the can down the road and lead to divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, and suicide. Any progressive p.d. will have programs in place, such as, Critical Incident Stress Management Policy and Procedure, which would mandate an officer who experiences an incident such as a line of duty shooting or death of a child, to name a few, to see a mental health professional trained in dealing with these types of incidents and police officers. Education on C.I.S.M. can benefit officers, as well as, their families in understanding the risks involved and resources available. Much more could be said, but more light needs to be shed on police suicides across this country. Retired p.o. 37 years on the job
37 years on the job and I'll bet you did just fine. Ok school rules
This just breaks my heart. I have no experience or advice on this matter. I will say a prayer. No job is worth this tragedy, even if you have to live less high on hog. I can from poor your kids don't have to go to the best university to be successful happy human beings.
NON Commie Teacher
Forget the bosses on the job. Remember who you really work for. Ask and He will help you, just make sure you are open to His help. He works in strange ways. God Bless and be safe out there and in your lives.
Unfortunately, with the hiring of many Gulf War vets, many of who are already suffering from various emotional issues (in silence), I see the suicide rates only increasing over the years. Combining the horrors of what they've seen overseas, combined with the weekly carnage they will see here and in other major cities (where the homicide rates are steadily increasing), Police suicides aren't likely to go down soon.
Anonymous said...
75% of all promotions are merit or cheaters. Just look at the current crop of bosses. It hurts when you find out the job isn't on the square. Take the politics out of the department. Was just watching WGN, Barbara West was a guest. What the heck is her claim to fame? Has she ever made an arrest?
That's the problem with the way of thinking among Chicago's finest. Everything comes down to arrests. Did he/she ever make an arrest? Have they ever made a part one? Do you think Lewin has? Or Looney? Voulgaris? Calloway? Hell, even Escalante or Navarro?
That has nothing to do with moving up the ranks, or being selected to lead a police agency. Stop that way of thinking. It has nothing to do with how well you do on promotional exams, which moves one up and though the department.
Think about it. How many arrests are most of YOU making out there today? Stats indicate not many at all. Yet some of you will be promoted due to your promotional test scores in the years to come. People will ask the same about YOU. Would that be a fair measuring stick, in today's fetal atmosphere? Wake up.
From a troll: I am a consequence. I am the unpaid bill. I am fate with a badge and a gun. Behind my bade is a heart like yours. I bleed, I think, I love and yes I can be killed and although I am just one man I have thousands of brothers and sisters who are the same as me.
I gyped this from the 2012 movie "End of Watch." But it seems to make some sense. Reach out to someone or watch over your brothers, sisters and family members. This shitty city is not worth one of your lives under these circumstances. Exercise at least every other day for an hour, watch your diet (have one junk day a week) and do not smoke or drink. Keep a solid line between your job and work. These suggestions are critical to good health.
12;04.your right.was in couple of tight spots that could of got me fired that was my doing alone..sat down and asked if its Your will so be it.but Sir it would be nice if it just went away""after a few months of worry and sweat.was told by IAD that subjects that put the well earned beef in could not be reached and suit and accompany info was to be disregarded.and unfounded,and totally unsubstantiated,went over by my moms grave in St Marys and cried real tears of releif and thanks,and do believe i heard in my head,""you got a new chance in life.dont screw it up again""
Most of the stress from this job doesn't come from the things we see on the outside - murder, fights,alcholism, drug overdose, child neglect & abuse, elderly neglect- but from the bosses. How many good coppers have been passed up for a promotion given/handed to some less deserving idiot? Too many guys/gals who push a beat car until the very end, should have been promoted long ago; instead they get frustrated & leave a 916l & sadly, end up dead. The politics of the dept., the lies, the unfairness, eventually it wears on you. You lose self esteem & respect, in a dead end job; but that is the Chicago way. They care nothing for the working stiff, & it appears, it is just going to get worse. Everyone hates the police, no respect, think we are all bad.
The profession has lost its image as helpful.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Go to the Dr at least 1x p/year.If he says you have high bp, take the fucking meds and don't deny it like i did. 1 week in cardiac icu got my mind right. i believe in eap's foundation, but when i needed them,they could have cared less.... they sucked. i'm going back a few years now, so things may have changed.
good luck, be safe.
1/30/2017 07:40:00 PM
I go every 6 months full blood work, stress test every other year, workout eat healthy you are the only person that can keep yourself healthy! On blood pressure went to natural doctor drink 2 cups of Hibiscus tea,and take cinnamon bp was 169/100 now 120/79 115/72 and take 1 smallest dose losartan .25 mg feel better blood pressure is not called the "silent killer" for no reason!
The cops are not hated by everybody. People just want the criminals arrested and prosecuted without all of the drama in between like the thief lying that the victim is their aunt or niece and no prosecution is the result. That is why people are angry.
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