Our police officers take on one

of the most challenging jobs in

the field. This job causes
chronic and persistent stress,
which can lead to many
different problems. Some
problems can
include premature death,
alcohol or drug abuse, marital
and family-related issues, and
even
suicide (Novak et al., 2017).
Suicide is the most dreaded
consequence that results from
police
officer stress. Unfortunately,
there is not much awareness for
officer suicide. Many
departments
often sweep it under the rug and
refuse to acknowledge that it is
a national issue. Most officers
are reluctant to get help for their
mental problems, whether they
are caused by this job or not.
Police officer suicide is a
national issue that is not getting
the attention that it deserves.
This includes focus from the
media, the public, and even
their departments. Twice as
many
police officers commit suicide
than are killed in the line of
duty (Behind the Badge, 2012).
This
is something that many people
are unaware of. Most of the
public and the media often
assume
that our officers are frequently
killed while in the field.
However, officers are more
likely to take
their own lives than die while
they are on the job. The media
does an excellent job of
covering
police deaths when they occur
in our communities, but they
refuse to acknowledge the
number of
officer suicides that happen as
well. Most officers who choose
to take their own life are often
never revealed to the public.
Departments hardly ever speak
about this issue therefore the
media
never receives notice of the
problem. The names of most
officers who take their own
lives are
usually never released (Behind
the Badge, 2012). If the media
and police departments choose
to
hide the names of the officers,
then the general public will
never know about the issues
these
officers are facing
Our police officers take on one of the most challenging jobs in the field. This job causes chronic and
persistent stress, which can lead to many different problems. Some problems can include premature
death, alcohol or drug abuse, marital and family-related issues, and even suicide (Novak et al., 2017).
Suicide is the most dreaded consequence that results from police officer stress. Unfortunately, there is
not much awareness for officer suicide. Many departments often sweep it under the rug and refuse to
acknowledge that it is a national issue. Most officers are reluctant to get help for their mental problems,
whether they are caused by this job or not. Police officer suicide is a national issue that is not getting the
attention that it deserves. This includes focus from the media, the public, and even their departments.
Twice as many police officers commit suicide than are killed in the line of duty (Behind the Badge, 2012).
This is something that many people are unaware of. Most of the public and the media often assume that
our officers are frequently killed while in the field. However, officers are more likely to take their own
lives than die while they are on the job. The media does an excellent job of covering police deaths when
they occur in our communities, but they refuse to acknowledge the number ofofficer suicides that
happen as well. Most officers who choose to take their own life are often never revealed to the public.
Departments hardly ever speak about this issue therefore the media never receives notice of the
problem. The names of most officers who take their own lives are usually never released (Behind the
Badge, 2012). If the media and police departments choose to hide the names of the officers, then the
general public will never know about the issues these officers are facing

Behind the Badge: Preventing Police Suicides (Part 1 of 6). (2012). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq5QOn5tUUADeal, K. (2014, June). Preventing Law Enforcement
Officer Suicide. Retrieved December 7, 2019, from
https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/06-2014/preventing_officer_suicide.asp.Novak, K., Cordner, G.,
Roberg, R., & Smith, B. (2017). Police & Society (7th ). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.