Ideas?
A couple of unconfirmed reports of a retiree suicide.
We have no idea what is available to retirees, but we're almost certain it isn't close to adequate. Does anyone know if the FOP - which currently has thousands of retired members - would be able to offer some sort of group plan for retirees to receive some sort of mental health evaluation? We can't believe there isn't a single insurance provider who wouldn't welcome literally thousands of retired cops and family who are in need of just someone to talk to.
We shouldn't be abandoning our brothers and sisters just because they retired.
We have no idea what is available to retirees, but we're almost certain it isn't close to adequate. Does anyone know if the FOP - which currently has thousands of retired members - would be able to offer some sort of group plan for retirees to receive some sort of mental health evaluation? We can't believe there isn't a single insurance provider who wouldn't welcome literally thousands of retired cops and family who are in need of just someone to talk to.
We shouldn't be abandoning our brothers and sisters just because they retired.
Labels: FOP, info for the police
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
40 Comments:
Www.bluehelp.org. Connect with them. One of the guys is local in Chicago area. They help get coppers hooked up with someone to talk to. No BS. They got a Facebook page too that they respond to. I think they are doing a conference or something this week in Palatine.
the Employee Assistance Center is open and available to RETIREES and their families... For FREE.
I was actually very pleasantly surprised at the fact that RETIREES were welcome there as I cant figure out how a retiree can do something which could turn out to be a liability to the City.
I highly recommend that anyone not feeling okay avail themselves of their services (312) 743 0378 (24 hrs according to the 2018 FOP book pg 62)
They helped me and do a great job... especially with Alcohol related issues
Stay safe and well
I imagine the main reasons are financial or health? I've been retired just a short time now and other than my pay being a bit less, I'm fairly pleased with life. It's like the way things are now. this job sucks your soul out of your body and leaves behind a void that gets filled with your disappointment and and the hateful spite of the rotten people here. I don't have to go to that cursed job with the violence and idiocy surrounding you and all these restrictions on what you can do and what you must do. I just hope the pension doesn't go bust any time soon.
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You would think there was some organization that looks after the welfare of active and retired officers! An organization that was strong and actually affected legislators and fought for police rights! You know somebody that was a REAL BARGAINING AGENT for the POLICE in "ALL" matters that affect the lives and safety and well being of our officers! Someone that would be a fraternal organization and would fight against ridiculous States Attorneys, ridiculous Judges, jail ibond policies, deputy under manning, sheriff staff way over paid, Movie Stars, and Sanctuary City Money being spent on non-citizen immigrants while our own go without insurance coverage and pensions go unfunded.....MOTHER FUCK every democ"RAT" politician whose hands were held to one of these fires!!!
EAP and all its resources are available to retirees the same as if they were still active.
Please refer anyone of them in need to EAP or better yet call EAP yourself with the info.
It is totally job related!
Don't retire you miss the camaraderie
Rahm dropping the health insurance coverage for retirees could be one reason that many retirees are suffering. People need to understand that when we came on the job, we were promised free health insurance coverage for the rest of our lives. Little by little the city kept charging us money for coverage, be it as an active employee or retiree. By 2016 a retiree's portion of paying for health insurance was just short of $700.00 month for one person. Today a retiree must find coverage on his/her own, and for one person it costs an average $1500.00 month. And the policy does not provide for much. Who could afford to live?
If Mayor Lightfoot wants to gain support from the police and city workers, she will bring back health insurance coverage for retirees as we were all promised.
Mental health coverage is part of the health care plan avaiable to retirees. Mental health is not a rider like vision and dental.
Local universities with teaching hospitals would jump at
the chance to do this for free. Plenty of graduate and
Ph.D. students to access eager for research work.
They get grant money for these types of projects so
should be more than happy to help.
AI is being used to "read" facial expressions to detect
subtle clues. It works great on whites, but not so much
on blacks or Asians. (It's only as good as the examples
on file to scan thru). Nvidia, Google, Apple all pouring
tons of capital expenditures into this research.
For now, you're better off with one on one human contact.
FOP would like to see the retires "go away" some time ago changes were made ,if you let your membership expire they wouldn't take you back enough noise was made and they changed that you can now return with board approval (?) when they find a way to reduce retirement benefits retirees will get the short end of the stick after all a lot of them don't even live in Chicago so they don't vote here,the retirees are just another check the city has to write that they get nothing for RCPA is not a very dynamic group, when Rahm put the pension further into the hole with Senate Bill 777 I didn't hear much complaint from any police groups, including the pension board. When the adjustments are made we may see an upturn in retiree suicides, rather than bite the bullet eat the gun
While there are a lot of “official” resources, perhaps some retirees could get together and create a “support group” made up of volunteers. They could have meetings, be available for outreach. It could be modeled after the 12 Step program of confidentiality and fellowship. Just a suggestion.
I understand he was suffering from terminal cancer and wanted to bring it to a close. Very sad.
Retiree suicide isn't monitored accurately. Dialysis patients deliberately give noncompliant, others have "gun cleaning" accidents. Others simply drink themselves to death in less than two years.Yes,help is available, but some people are filled with despair. Some aren't at peace with themselves, believing they didn't do enough and didn't come on the job for the right reasons. Hard to resolve inside. Sad.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
EAP and all its resources are available to retirees the same as if they were still active.
Please refer anyone of them in need to EAP or better yet call EAP yourself with the info.
4/08/2019 01:17:00 AM
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Anonymous Anonymous said...
It is totally job related!
4/08/2019 01:27:00 AM
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You are totally wrong!
Oh yes. They are abandoned. They even took away the health care they promised to the spouses.
The City of Chicago doesn't give a SHIT about police officers and firefighters. Give us back the medical insurance to all the retired members !!!!!
I know this maybe an unrealistic idea but why can’t EAP have someone assigned to 35th Street? They can work exclusively where officers turn in their credentials and officially pull the plug. When officers receive their retirement I’d they will also be given an EAP flyer by an active EAP member. It’s simple, not fronting anyone but reminding officers EAP is still available.
31823
Districts need to keep in touch with their retirees. Camaraderie shouldn’t end at 29 and a day.
When we become regular citizens and we all will one day, the Dept should still keep the retirees as part of the family.
Think about it...CPD community activism office provides and puts in more effort, programs, sing-a-longs and jungle gyms etc, for the mostly unappreciative deadbeat feral and that includes the consulting and input panel members like Jam’oil Greens and Lemonjello Reccords.
Aside from any physical or medical issues, I think keeping active is one way to maintain good spirits if that’s what’s lacking.
Rehiring those retirees who want to stay on is one way. It was one big reason I liked Paul Vallas for mayor.
Putting the younger, able bodied officer in positions (e.g. The Streets) that a Retiree can’t (by law) is doable.
Make sense?
Not funny - the Elected politicians banned old police.
Holding on to what is gone can’t be too good either, but still being involved at some level could make a difference.
We as Active need to never forget about the Retirees and advocate on behalf.
“If Mayor Lightfoot wants to gain support from the police and city workers...” 4/08/2019 03:01:00 AM
– she doesn’t need or want our support and will never provide it. Sanctuary First, just like Rahm.
Mental health coverage is part of the health care plan avaiable to retirees. Mental health is not a rider like vision and dental.
4/08/2019 03:39:00 AM
Rahm Emanuel took health insurance away from many of us retirees.
Don't retire you miss the camaraderie
4/08/2019 02:53:00 AMPlease
Screw that bullshit. I still keep in touch and meet up with a few guys that I've worked with. If you stay on the job for "camaraderie" it sort of indicates you've got no friends, relatives or hobbies outside of that toxic world we called a career. Find something to do with yourself and and get the hell out the first chance you get.
fund the retiree healthcare!!!!
If Mayor Lightfoot wants to gain support from the police and city workers, she will bring back health insurance coverage for retirees as we were all promised.
4/08/2019 03:01:00 AM
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Dream on. The average taxpayer gets less than $2000 per month on social security. How much was that pension of ours again? There is no public support to give us even more of anything, other than grief. You better start to plan for life with less than you were promised because that's what we're going to get. Once they start yelling about how much we make and what we get in retirement, even taxpayers are going to vote for that constitutional amendment to reduce pensions. We'll be labeled as greedy and we'll prove it, just like the teachers do. The difference with us is, we can't go on strike and deprive these people of their taxpayer supported babysitters.
I just hope the pension doesn't go bust any time soon.
4/08/2019 12:29:00 AM
The pension mess is unfixable. Future retirees will have their benefits and income greatly reduced. Illinois is closing in on a $300 billion debt. You think they care if you're mad about it? You think the federal government is gonna step in and help? Bitch and complain all you want. The game is over. We're fucked.
Vets can always use the VA; inconsistent but the PTSD issues are finally being addressed. The killer is post-retirement isolation though.
Retiree suicide isn't monitored accurately,,,,active member's suicides aren't either.
Comments just had several guys bitching about a retired sgt who had the audacity to chime in on the financial future of Chicago. Let's be honest here and tell the truth. Once you retire, nobody gives a shit about you. It's just the way it is because we are all easily replaceable.
Even worse now, retirees are blamed for the dismal pension situations that we are currently in.
Do you really think retirees are gonna get healthcare back. Not gonna happen.
Takes two months for them to totally forget you on this job. The phone never rings. Friends are hard to find. It's even more prevalent today. When you retire it's best to try to find some friends outside of this job.
Depressed...Ha! There is a whole world out there. Retired and went to London. Took the Chunnel to Paris. Been to Rome, the top of the Empire State Building and Alaska. This fall....Hawaii. Don’t limit yourself...you can do it!
EAP can still be used when you retire.
People need PEOPLE that they trust in their lives. They dont have to be professionals,degreed doctors or registered practitioners of a licensed craft. Cops need other cops, and non cops as well.
Lets not get caught up in the idea that someone else is going to handle it.
Stop by a fellas house with a sixpack,just to hang out awhile. Sometimes just that is enough,a visitto let them know they arent facing this jacked up world alone!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Depressed...Ha! There is a whole world out there. Retired and went to London. Took the Chunnel to Paris. Been to Rome, the top of the Empire State Building and Alaska. This fall....Hawaii. Don’t limit yourself...you can do it!
Signed,
Single guy
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Takes two months for them to totally forget you on this job. The phone never rings. Friends are hard to find. It's even more prevalent today. When you retire it's best to try to find some friends outside of this job.
4/08/2019 06:58:00 PM
Old time Sgt told me when I came on the job not to forget my friends and just associate with fellow officers. Said it was a job and there is more to life than just the CPD. Took his advice and am now retired having a ball. Still have my CPD friends, family and neighbors. Not enough hours in the day to do all I want. Prepare your self for retirement, it’s great
Retirees need to leave this swamp for greener pastures. A more positive environment can often elicit hope and a new perspective.
If you or someone you know has ideation of suicide or is approaching crisis, please know that the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255), provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress. Safe Call Now (1-206-459-3020) offers those services specifically for first responders.
When you retire it's best to try to find some friends outside of this job.
4/08/2019 06:58:00 PM
When you're working, too. Develop those relationships now, instead of hoping to do it later.
The job is great, but there's life beyond it. At the end of the day, it's a just a job.
Missouri Lawmaker Introduces Legislation to Prevent Officer Suicide
https://www.policemag.com/509652/missouri-lawmaker-introduces-legislation-to-prevent-officer-suicide
When you retire get out of that shithole. Go to where it is warm and sunny and occupied by normal people. Fish, Golf, Scuba etc and visit the grandkids once in awhile. Better yet have them visit you. You can then read the blog and say THANK GOD.
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