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For at least the past 3 years, more police officers across the nation have died by suicide than in the line of duty. nbcnews.to/2m675nm (1/8)
One night in 2006, Lt. Ed Rediske slumped in a chair. It was easier for him to imagine ending his life than it was to ask for help: "I didn't feel like I could cope."
Weeks earlier, an armed man killed two Fairfax Co. officers. One was a friend. (2/8)
Weeks earlier, an armed man killed two Fairfax Co. officers. One was a friend. (2/8)
"The biggest issue is finding a way to get officers who are feeling troubled to come forward," says John Violanti, a professor at Univ. of Buffalo.
"You couple that issue with our societal stigma of mental illness, that if you're mentally ill you're defective in some way." (3/8)
"You couple that issue with our societal stigma of mental illness, that if you're mentally ill you're defective in some way." (3/8)
The stigma is particularly ingrained in the nation's police departments, and it often keeps officers from seeking professional help for common, treatable mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and PTSD.
“I didn't want to ask for help," Rediske says. (4/8)
“I didn't want to ask for help," Rediske says. (4/8)
In 2017, Fairfax Co. Police Chief Roessler stood at a podium after several of the dept.'s officers had died by suicide.
"I realized I was giving a corporate answer suicide after suicide ... And in the meantime, I'm afraid of the stigma because I'm getting myself help.” (5/8)
"I realized I was giving a corporate answer suicide after suicide ... And in the meantime, I'm afraid of the stigma because I'm getting myself help.” (5/8)
Roessler reached out to Jaysyn Carson, director of incident support services for the Fairfax Co. Police Dept., who works closely with officers who suffer traumatic incidents.
"What we've learned is that trauma is not just about what's happened to them in their career.” (6/8)
"What we've learned is that trauma is not just about what's happened to them in their career.” (6/8)
"If you take someone's badge and gun you take their dignity, you take their sense of purpose," he says.
The team identified a key change: not automatically taking away an officer's badge and gun if they seek help. Instead, they undergo evaluations before action is taken. (7/8)
The team identified a key change: not automatically taking away an officer's badge and gun if they seek help. Instead, they undergo evaluations before action is taken. (7/8)
At least 8 states have implemented bills that allow first responders to file worker's comp claims for PTSD. They include presumption that if they receive PTSD diagnosis from a psychologist, it will be presumed an occupational disease suffered in line of duty (8/8) #NBCNewsThreads
