In a city that is replete with highly skilled mental health professionals, and one that relies so heavily on its police force not just for run-of-the-mill crime prevention and response, but also serious counterterrorism, anti-corruption and -organized crime, and for keeping countless foreign dignitaries, celebrities, and high-ranking international diplomats and others safe along with the millions of other people who live in NYC and who daily travel to and fro and within the City, and protect the treasures of its various world-class museums and other institutions, it's beyond shameful that the NYPD and those it serves aren't providing and facilitating access to the full array of mental health care on hand in the Metro Area. The officers and all whom they serve deserve much better.
Hang in there, officers and family; and thank you.
3
The issue of mental illness among police officers goes beyond the disturbing & growing problem of suicide. There are more episodes of domestic violence against partners of LEO occurring throughout the USA.
We as a society must recognize & remove the stigma of mental illness. This should be treated no differently than physical ailments such as diabetes, cardiac issues, etc.
4
Domestic violence perpetrated by law enforcement officers and members of the military, especially males, has long been a problem, and one compounded by a kind of macho,"brotherhood" mentality that makes reporting incidents and getting an appropriate and respectful and non-retraumatizing or endangering response from law enforcement very challenging for their victim-survivors.
3
When the wonderful anti-suicide helpline Samaritans was started in NYC more than 30 years ago, they began specific outreach and work with NYPD because the same problems existed in the early 1980s. An informed, anonymous, place to call was a boon for officers in a much more violent and cash-strapped city. My mother was a Samaritans volunteer (and had experienced family loss by suicide) and proud to help officers in pain with few places to turn. The fact that the same problems exist today, when the culture, the force and the city are so different, does not speak well for mental health as an institutional priority in NYPD. And PS, creating a safe space to not be wearing your sidearm at work - not that hard! If army bases can do it, so can precincts. Also NYT, we could use more detailed reporting on this - culture, policies for mental health relief, PBA action/reaction. This story goes way beyond this year and these families.
1
Old problem for police. expecting them to be invulnerable. Joseph Wambaugh made it a big theme in his book, The Onion Field. The officer who survived was heart broken over his partner's murder, and felt deep guilt just over that. On top of that the entire department humiliated him over giving up his gun. He eventually acted out the pain so seriously that he had to resign. Wambaugh asserted that he was not given the psychological counseling that he needed after his horrendous experience that night in the onion field.
3
“Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem,”
That sentiment should be expressed at the end of every roll call - across the country, regardless the city or department because contemplating taking one's own life really does come down to that - a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
1
If there is no profile of the typical cop feeling suicide is the only option, it means that the subject of suicide by this population has not truly been studied. That is a shame, because no profession should have as its outcome that one is "driven" to suicide. It is known that access to firearms increases deaths. We need to study cop culture and other factors much more thoroughly to reduce deaths and illnesses. It is urgent for the cops and the public that this is done sooner rather than later.
2
As long as the NYPD takes away the service revolver of any officer that seeks mental health help, this problem will continue.
While the meeting might be anonymous, by taking away an officers service weapon to protect them from hurting themselves, has an opposite effect.
When an officer returns to duty without their revolver, everyone in the precinct knows why. No officer wants to be known as seeing a shrink, and no officer wants to show up without their sidearm as everyone will know why.
If an officer can just go talk to someone, and then have it actually be as if nothing was wrong, there might be progress to solve this tragedy.
14
@galtsgultch
I really don’t think anyone in the NYPD uses revolvers any more
1
@galtsgultch "If an officer can just go talk to someone, and then have it actually be as if nothing was wrong......" This is the status quo. Pretend like nothing is wrong so you don't seem vulnerable/human. No need to change anything according to you.
1
@galtsgultch
You are right about the humiliation of being disarmed but when a man is seriously disturbed, he should not be on the streets with a gun. A suicidal person could place themselves at risk unnecessarily and so the officers who are present to back him/her up. The officer should just be on leave or on administrative duties. In any case, any officer can be severely affected by the things which police and first responders must address. Their fellow officers ought to be able to understand.
Suicide among police officers looks bad. It counters the image of the police as strong and dependable. Just as the NRA lobby has made it illegal to study gun violence, so police departments have preferred to look the other way when officers commit suicide. Studies and facts equal the wrong kind of publicity, so they look the other way.
I weep for Ms. Echeverria, who went all the way to the top to save her brother, and was brutally ignored. New York City, how many more officers will die before we address this awful problem? The truth hurts, but it also heals. It's the only thing that can.
25
@Round the Bend
The story contains nothing to indicate that "Ms. Echeverria went all the way to the top." It says that she went up one level to a sergeant, and to Internal Affairs.
"The top" would indicate at least a precinct commander (captain or deputy inspector) and above him or her would be a deputy chief and assistant chief of the borough, Chief of Patrol, and Cief of Department. All, except Chief of Department are readily available via e-mail.
4
@Eugene
When someone is in distress their family should not have to navigate to the "top" it should be immediately seen as required to report when received as "no wrong door" reporting.
10
My husband retired from CBP shortly after the tragedy of losing his favorite long term co worker to suicide. EAP services were helpful but insufficient. If he had remained, it would have been the same as totally refurbishing a beautiful classic car, then returning it to a car crash derby. It’s the blue culture that is in shambles. Deeply flawed beneath the surface.
31
Twice as many military veterans commit suicide each year than the number of civilians who died on 9/11. Yet our healthcare system is so convoluted, veterans who fought for our country (really, our country's oil interests, since almost all of the hijackers on 9/11 were from our 'ally', Saudi Arabia) do not have access to basic physical and mental help in any kind a reasonable timeframe.
For our police officers, there's a similar mental, physical, and social emotional health challenge. Police are under fire because our country is awash with some 300 million guns - and yes, there are some awful racists among them, but they are by no means the majority. That means that every tour, our police officers face the threat of grave injury or death. Like our soldiers, they live in constant fear of combat from enemies both obscure and well-known - AND also like our returning veterans, police officers are not respected and treated poorly.
I ask you all: as you judge all police officers for the terrible acts of a distinct minority among them, if we don't step up to support the very people who defend us - who have made their lives to protect and to serve us - if we don't protect them at their most vulnerable, who are we?
37
@common sense advocate
Could not have stated it better.
6
...and what does it say about all of us living with the (yes, imperfect) protection of the vast number of police officers who put their lives on the line every day - that too many readers don't bother to read and comment on a story about the record number of police suicides?
6
@Marge Keller - thanks so much...I hope you and your family are doing well!
2
In one 12 month period a few years ago, four people I knew, though not well, shot themselves. In each of those cases it turns out that there were crystal clear warning signs yet they still had or had easy access to handguns. People (and police departments), if someone is going through a bad time, get them help but at the very least, get the guns away from them. There are rarely second chances when guns are used in suicide attempts.
30
the truly sad thing is that we know 100% for sure that decreased access to firearms = fewer suicides. the old lore that "truly suicidal people will just find another way to kill themselves" is patently false.
The police suicide rate is about 15% higher than the general public.
This is a clear public health issue.
49
@D
With the utmost respect, I believe this is a clear mental health issue above all else.
2
The opprobrium attached to admitting depression or to seeing a social worker, therapist or doctor is immense, not just for police officers, but they are the focus right now. The police department should reqiure at least a yearly interview, examine or screening of every police officer. That way an individual officer would not have to worry about word getting around that one has seen a therapist or is in treatment. The expense is a pittance compared to the help it would give to these dedicated individuals who run towards danger for us every day. We owe them.
2
New York lags behind other cities in providing mental health care services. Why?
Because saving lives costs money and if you provide this service for police officers you might have to add EMS workers, teachers, social workers and other's whose occupation produces secondary post traumatic stress, depression syndrome. (PTSD)
So if we are concerned about the money, why not cancel some totally unnecessary tax break for wealthy real estate developers and use those funds for improving lives instead of bank statements?
4
INCREASE SALARIES. Last time I looked those brand new police officers coming out of the academy were starting at $
26,000 or so. How much counseling is enough to keep despondency at bay if you cannot pay your bills. Don’t even have to tax the rich to raise the money for rookie salaries. Yes, looking disgustedly at you Patrick Lynch, Mayor De Blasio and LIRR disability pensions.
2
@Mary Travers It's a shame you didn't google "starting NYPD salary" like I did so that you had real information at your hands. Try it. You're off by a factor of 2!
Last I checked there is no draft on police work. Those going into it do it for the pay being offered, just like every other job in America.
There is something missing in these stories about police suicides. Who ultimately is responsible for officers not getting the help they need? Is it top brass? Is it precinct captains? Is it the union chief? Should the entire macho culture be implicated? Why aren’t government officials and the media asking for accountability, for a thorough review of an organization in which its members are so stressed out that they’re killing themselves? Imagine how many more are on the brink. Why aren’t jobs being lost over the foot dragging in implementing a mental health care initiative? In the corporate world, the CEO’s head would’ve rolled by now.
3
Perhaps psychological screening of police applicants should also be geared to filter out those who have self-destructive characteristics as well as other characteristics that should be incompatible with the nature of a job that involves physical power over others and at times can involve life and death encounters.
4
@Brooklyn sounds like a waste of money. We should spend that money and the money for less police officers from there salaries on programs for poverty, mental health in the community, job assistance, slavery reparations, housing and education.
2
@Brooklyn
That's already done, but the characteristics you cite can, and do, develop over time. They probably aren't present in the application process.
Catching such characteristics later would require psychological screening on a regular basis, say, every year or 6 months. Even then, just because someone shows self-destructive characteristics doesn't mean they will act on them or have already. Most won't or haven't. What would you do with those officers?
I'm not trying to be a negative Nancy, but solutions aren't as simple as a one-sentence suggestion.
1
@Brooklyn
That's already done, but the characteristics you cite can, and do, develop over time. They probably aren't present in the application process.
Catching such characteristics later would require psychological screening on a regular basis, say, every year or 6 months. Even then, just because someone shows self-destructive characteristics doesn't mean they will act on them or have already. Most won't or haven't. What would you do with those officers?
I'm not trying to be a negative Nancy, but solutions aren't as simple as a one-sentence suggestion.
"No rhyme or reason..." I can think of a few. This is not very believable
A month ago, the fifth anniversary of the Ferguson killing, one that triggered the "Black Lives Matter" movement some Democratic candidates chose to use the occasion to express solidarity with their P.O.C. base. Only one, Elizabeth Warren chose to be more explicit: “5 years ago Michael Brown was murdered by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael was unarmed yet he was shot 6 times."
The white police officer was not a person, Darren Wilson, simply the generic white cop who in the fog of a complex confrontation, she chose to brand as a "murderer."
Numerous publications including the link below in the Washington Post pointed out the facts of the case, supported by forensic and eye witness testimony, that Officer Miller acted within the scope of his sworn duties. Sen Warren, when challenged after a speech, responded with, "All I know is that Brown was shot walking toward the police car hundreds of feet away."
https://beta.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/13/harris-warren-ignore-doj-report-claim-that-michael-brown-was-murdered/
To a police officer who is depressed knowing he is considered by many as part of vigilante group who revels in "murdering" Black men, I can see this as exacerbating his despair.
Republicans are strangely absent in criticizing her slanderous assertion, with her absurd defense that she didn't do the research. If she is the nominee, it will be a central element of the campaign stoking the fires of hatred.
1
@Call Me Al Why was Warren's comment slanderous? It is true isn't it? Why would good hardworking police officers want to work with racist cops? It spoils the pot for all. The murderer of Tamir Rice is a bad guy - who would want to work with a man like that? Yet like a bad priest he goes from precinct to precinct. Warren grew up with two brothers who served in the military - she comes from a working class home. Of course she admires law enforcement. Nice try buddy.
3
@Call Me Al "To a police officer who is depressed knowing he is considered by many as part of vigilante group who revels in "murdering" Black men, I can see this as exacerbating his despair. "
That's one perspective. Guilt seems far more likely. It is a tremendous amount of power to be able to shoot and kill with no repercussions but I imagine the mind knows one is guilty even if the code of silence shields one from consequences.
@N8t
Neither of the two repliers chose to read the link to the Washington Post that describes how Daren Wilson acted according to his oath of office and state law. This was by a Federal investigation under auspices of the Obama administration.
It shows how such deep political identity is immune to even the rare overwhelming evidence that their stereotype is not accurate. This is a social pathology that negates reality over group affinity.
1
The need for psychological support and therapy has been evident for quite a long time. Compare the rates of cop suicide to domestic abuse by cops. Just search for "Police Family Violence Fact Sheet" and you'll be horrified to learn that at least 40% of police officer families experience some level of domestic violence versus 10% of the general population. On top of that, there is a lot of evidence that fellow officers with knowledge of an abusing colleague frequently protect/cover up for them. That's a lot more than 9 suicides.
Had there been a properly functioning mental health program for officers, it would have helped remedy this injustice and probably help in mitigating suicide rates.
It should be required that cops go through regular counseling, have regular sabbaticals off the job with more life-affirming duties (think mentoring kids, helping the elderly, etc).
8
Here in Seattle we have asked our police department to take on an unreasonable set of duties. We have also asked them to be mental health workers, marriage counsellors, youth counsellors, addiction experts, etc. Not a pretty picture once we pile on the high cost of living, job stress, access to firearms and peer pressure to hide their emotions.
Five or more decades ago, there were no EMTs and paramedic teams here or, if I remember correctly, anywhere in the US. Many folks needlessly died because the police could not get them to a hospital in time. Consequently, Seattle founded an EMT department. Was that the first such department in the nation? In no time the vast majority of such folks were saved. Couldn't something similar be done now vis-à-vis addiction, mental illness, the homeless?
In general, we won't see a significant drop in firearm mortalities until we tackle handguns. Handguns are the most dangerous kind of firearm. Most firearm mortalities are caused by handguns. The majority of firearm mortalities are suicides, and most firearm suicides are done with handguns. Roughly three out of four homicides done with handguns. The presence of a gun greatly increases the likelihood of firearm suicide. The presence of a gun increases the likelihood of homicide, especially the murder of the shooter's partner and children. I assume those statistics apply to policemen as well. Yes, the vast majority of all of these firearm mortalities are associated with men.
5
@Robert
Urgent care and crisis therapy are a lot different from chronic care and rehabilitation.
1
I vote as a Republican but lean Libertarian on most items. A few comments here are unsympathetic on the specific issue, which is understandable if you have experienced mistreatment at the hands of the police.
But the comments allude to a larger problem, the entrenched bureaucracy in the criminal justice system. From police unions, police culture, prosecutorial decisions, sentencing guidelines, and the staggering volume of laws on our books; people are trying to make changes in the system frequently run into the roadblock of entrenched interests.
On this issue, police culture is probably the largest factor, followed by the strength of the unions. Cops have a disincentive to ask for help for fear of loss of respect from their peers to likely legitimate career concerns (will the promotions end).
I don't know what the ultimate solution is, but one minor fix could be the end of the pension system in favor of a 401k-type retirement. We are incentivizing police (as well as teachers) to work a full 20-years to get their full pension. Work only 10 years, you are much worse off than a private sector employee who saved in the marketplace. The reality is that police and teaching are stressful jobs and not everyone should work a full 20 or 30 or 40 year career.
Take away the financial incentive to work the required years when it is no longer appropriate for the employee. If I quit my current job, my legacy retirement contributions stay with me. Not so with pensions.
2
No, that's an argument for changing the vesting rules.
What's this really about - resentment of public-sector employees because they have pensions and you don't?
5
@Lorem Ipsum Actually no, not a drop of resentment. More I am concerned about the financial wellness of the current workers.
Here is Chicago, most of the current police (and teachers, and public emoployees) won't actually receive their promised pension benefits. Have an actuary look at the system (40% funded, and that is based on a 8% expected return rather than 3%) and it is clear that we have a ponzi scheme that will eventually end. And Chicago can go bankrupt (which means you are reorganizing your debt, not that you have no money).
The unions in Chicago and Illinois have the expertise and resources to see that the system is unsustainable. Maybe ERISA should have applied to public systems, not just private pensions. Maybe unions should have called out politicians who promised benefits, but never set aside the money.
The state and municipal pension crisis was a slow moving train wreck. It took 30 years to happen, but we are going to see a lot of municipal reorganizations in the next decade.
My 401K balance will be fine, it is the current workers who are being harmed.
@James
Your 401k isn't guaranteed either.
The pension is the reason many go and stay in law enforcement. The trade-off is that the pension isn't portable and they have to stay to get it. But who is retiring after 10 years with a 401k--and what's more, how many 401ks have been depleted with stock market crashes every 10 years. The pension systems are underfunded because of libertarians' allergic reaction to taxes.
4
"Los Angeles . . . has gradually hired a “small arm of therapists, 16 and counting, who frequent neighborhood police stations and even ride along with officers to better understand their job pressures . . . Therapists also learn police culture and lingo to better connect with officers, who then often feel more at ease seeking help for addiction, anxiety, stress and other emotional problems."
To hear "‘Thanks doc, I feel so much better" is welcomed feedback and tangible verification that the work these therapists do is not fluff nor wasted.
The circumstances which lead to suicides are different but the end result is always tragic.
Three alarming consequences in the police profession are alcoholism, divorce and suicide. Sometimes all three collide in a horrific ending.
While I come from a family of cops and have many dear and old friends who were coppers, I will NEVER be able to fully understand and empathize the work and pressures they endured and felt every single day they were on the job.
But I do have a small understanding of the world of suicide, that black hole where fear & a complete sense of feeling overwhelmed & distraught never ends. Often death is a welcomed but misguided answer.
Hopefully more police departments will follow LA's lead & hire more empathetic, understanding & caring therapists. It's a start at least and one which has had positive results.
Profound & deep condolences to the families, loved ones and fellow officers of those who have died.
6
The police unions and leadership in all departments across the country are failing police officers.
Every time the leadership and police unions protect bad officers, officers who shoot unarmed Americans, it inflames tensions between the public and the police. It also sends a signal to good officers that they’re not allowed to rock the boat.
It is devastating to work a job where a good person isn’t hated by both the public AND the leadership of the organization BECAUSE they are good.
If police leadership within their unions and various departments want this problem to go away, then they need to implement the reforms that citizens have been demanding for over a decade.
Stop protecting the bad officers. Institute independent civilian review boards. Train every officer on de-escalation techniques and require every department to have experts in neurodiversity on call to aid in responses to mental health crises.
Every time law enforcement leadership defends the indefensible, it undermines morale for everyone and not only does it make an already difficult job for police more difficult, it puts Americans in danger from police as police officers feel like everyone is out to get them.
11
probably not a "revolver," right (as mentioned in headline?) Probably a semi-auto with a magazine (like a glock.)
4
Dear Editor,
Aside from the subject matter of this article, it is most distressing to discover from the comments how many readers have such little comprehension of the data contained in the article. Also distressing is to learn how readers apply their own biases to infer facts nowhere in evidence from the article.
It may be that officers who kill themselves are terrible people and dangerous on the street. I have no knowledge on the subject. But there is absolutely nothing in the article to suggest that there is the slightest possibility that this is the case yet more than one reader seems to have seen it in the article.
Nor is there any reason to believe that the NYPD is ignoring the issue, Ms. Echeverria's experience notwithstanding. Indeed, at least from all of the public statements by senior officers to the police chief, the NYPD is concerned and doing everything that it knows how to do to reduce suicides.
Shocking.
2
I feel only sympathy for cops, and it makes me angry when so many run them down as being racist or brutal or too trigger happy or the rest of it. They have way, way too much responsibility in a society that takes way too little itself.
A typical example if a police captain acquaintance of mine - I say "acquaintance" because he was far too moody and angry to be around much - who talked occasionally about his job.
You have no idea how many homicides that man has turned up to. Finding dead or dying kids or wives or men who have messed up their own lives to the point they've either fought others or killed themselves.
He'd been the first on the scene of countless road traffic accidents, and found decapitated bodies, or dead kids, or all manner of horrors. He half joked about the time he looked for the driver of one wreck, only to find his body under the front seat of the car. One can only try to imagine the horror of such a thing. But I know it had bothered him endlessly.
We don't support our cops anything like we should. Too many just criticize them for being imperfect, but how many of us could do the job?
Seems to me a thankless task, and we exploit the sense of duty and responsibility those men and women have to pick up that badge and gun to do it for us.
6
My Father was a NYC Detective.
He said the "job" was OK until drugs took over. He said that with drugs and the associated money involved, you never knew who you could trust. He retired with one of the highest conviction (not arrest) records when he retired, but many clearly guilty people got away from justice due to a money "exchange."
The money from illegal activities have totally corrupted our "representatives" who now only represent themselves and their re election. We the people have been abandoned
Bribes, payoffs and kickbacks -- our founding fathers could neither imagine nor plan for such a travesty.
I guess that is how the country ends - greed and corruption as the basis of our people. How sad!
15
Workers in professions, guilds and unions should and can form peer support groups to help members struggling with emotional and psychological distress. Resources rarely mentioned, but with tremendous value, are the books and research on suicide by Dr. Thomas Joiner at Florida State University. The Myths About Suicide and Why People Die by Suicide are 2 very useful books to read and have on hand.
Suicide is the very end result of extreme distress that feels intolerable.
We would never not treat people immediately when they suffer extreme physical pain as a result of trauma. But we ask people in extreme psychological distress to not only tolerate it, but we expect them to fully function. That makes no sense as we experience both types of extreme pain in much the same way. It's disabling, impairing and can be life threatening.
Instead of continuing to foster our culture of extreme independence and self-sufficiency, we need to learn to be interdependent, give and accept help, and take the time to expend resources to do this. Every person in distress deserves no less.
I'm terribly sorry for the loss of every person who was in such extreme distress. We can do better. We owe it to them - and us - to do better.
8
Because the police are hired to do stuff that
requires unusual inner and outer strength, stress is
surely the most difficult part of complex
daily reality.
Their job is what I try to avoid.
It seems exciting and challenging, and
surely interesting.
But the psychological pressure is sad, and his clued in
sister felt/anticipated the ultimate tragedy that came.
I think I would like to be an investigator, but the negatives
are apparently too much to get there.
2
Is it desirable, even ethical, to routinely prevent suicides?
1
@Heckler
You pose a very interesting yet complex (rhetorical?) question, one that has lurked in my critical thinking as I read of suicide in society. I know first hand how death by suicide gravely affects a family, for generations even, and for the survivors it is so haunting. There can be devastating emotional and financial consequences to the survivors, so there's that.
Perhaps this issue of suicide in law enforcement is yet another "wake up call" for conservative voters that mental illness needs to be adequately addressed and treated. I couldn't help but note the quote in this article, "were're here for you and we're praying (for you)", in response to increased psychological services for law enforcement.
Language is powerful so if we can make a concerted effort to avoid that kind of mythical, empty platitude ("thoughts and prayers!") then we can focus on taking action to managing a deadly disease.
3
@Heckler
That is a good question...the most personal of decisions.
3
This is the culture of macho. That means work out your own problems and toughen up. Sensitivity and intelligence and compassion are on hold. 22 Veterans kill themselves every day.
The problem is the culture. Don't join the police or the military because you may end up killing yourself too.
4
@Dorian's Truth That is a horrible thing to say. Your statement is ignorant and wrong. Not every person who joins the military or police force winds up killing themselves.
3
As a retired clinical psychologist, I know that many people are afraid to talk to a psychologist and afraid of psychotherapy. I always told them that psychotherapy is just two people talking. Nothing mysterious about that. Psycho means "mind" and therapy means "change." If I talk to someone about something and they change their mind, that is psychotherapy. Everyone does psychotherapy all the time talking to family and friends. The most powerful form of psychotherapy is getting an education because that changes your mind, perspective, understanding, etc. The days of Freud are long dead.
17
Very sad. On a trivial note, I didn't realize that police still used revolvers.
3
@William G
NYPD does not use revolvers.
2
@William G I wondered about that as well. I found online that NYPD officers who started on revolvers are “grandfathered” in and may continue to use that weapon, so that is a possibility.
There’s also the possibility that whoever wrote the headline (not done by the author) isn’t aware that most modern police-issue handguns are not revolvers.
2
These dangerous officers cops need to be removed from the streets but NYPD admit no wrongs
2
NYPD would rather keep these dangerous officers on the street before they admit any problems...
1
Heartbreaking. No rhyme or reason? Could it be the code of blue not supporting these men. LAPD has a tighter code. I don't see alot of ethnicity in LA Police Dept. Were these men all different cultures? The article states Echeverria was Cuban. Very, very sad.
The title needs to be changed to say "service weapon" no one uses "revolvers" in law enforcement. I know this type of mistake is unfortunately utilized by the right to illustrate a lack of gun knowledge on a topic the left wants to effect change.
16
How is this a bad thing?
2
@bob
Am I understanding you correctly, that you think police officers killing themselves is a good thing? As in any line of work, there are people who shouldn't hold their jobs. But if you think the fact that some police officers have killed innocent people means that society can function without police, you're living in a dream world. And to wish that anyone would kill themselves is ugly.
1
NYPD is the largest Police Dept in the country, and changes in the way it functions happens slowly. As a NYPD cop over 20 years, the main source of problem that plaques the Dept is its disciplinary process, namely the command disciplines that are widely given which foster anxiety and paranoia and lastly depression amongst officers. I’ve often seen officers who have personal issues, whether at home or on the job, have been targeted and disciplined, rather than providing support to alleviate their problems. Lately, the barrage of negative views from the public and particularly the media towards cops have largely impacted the way cops feel about themselves and their worth. NYPD cops are significantly underpaid in relations to other police departments and are often broadly ridiculed more than any other public servants. The lists go on...and remedies to these issues are promised but not forthcoming.
6
@John...just sounds like excuses...quit and find another job like normal people
5
@Al
Al, I never comment but will this time and from my perspective as a retired career Special Forces officer. Police and military go places, do things, see things that can permanently haunt them and play a role in both group's high rates of suicide. They do this IOT protect the nation and its people, even you. If they all go and get "another job like normal people", who will do that for you Al? Until you've walked into harm's way for others and know what that is like and what it can cost, perhaps a little humble gratitude would be more appropriate than contempt.
21
@Al
Geeze, you and the poster above (BOB) really need to take some happy pills. These are normal people doing a very difficult job.
3
A sad, sad story, well reported.
But the headline is simply inaccurate and uninformed. A "revolver" is a type of pistol that has a revolving cylinder, like an old west six-shooter. Modern police guns are automatic pistols, referred to as weapons, handguns or simply guns, and never referred to as "revolvers".
13
@Nick Lappos Thank you. I was contemplating pointing this out, and I am stunned that the Times didn't have someone on the copy desk who caught this. Revolvers have not been used in most police departments in the United States in about ... 35 years?
6
This is a tragic story, but details matter: NYC officers haven't carried revolvers for many years; their service weapons are semi-automatic pistols. It's harder to trust you on big things when you get small things wrong.
22
@thbrosnan isn't a policeman's sidearm is his/her business, he/she can substitute a comparable gun for the current standard issue?
@thbrosn
You ever use a ‘band-aid.’
Sometimes a term is used to cover a whole category.
Don’t you think you are missing the boat with the revolver discussion!
5
This is a prime example of the usefulness of a Red Flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Order). A relative often sees signs that others don't. Ms. Echeverria should never have had to plead with the department; the department should never have had the discretion to unilaterally return his gun. A judge should have heard the evidence of Officer Escheverria's deteriorating mental state and removed his gun for up to a year. New York State's new ERPO law took effect on August 24, 2019. Relatives, school officials, and law enforcement should use it: it will save lives. Forms can be found at https://ww2.nycourts.gov/erpo
13
Of the 44 000 Americans who die from gunshot every year about 2/3rds are suicides. And the majority are white men and veterans who tend to use handguns.
While the number of mass shootings are increasing and deadlier than ever, they are still a tiny minority of gunshot deaths. Most gunshot deaths in America involve family, friends, neighbors and thugs who also tend to use handguns.
4
Maybe its because police officers are not doing productive/valuable/honest work but quite the opposite. No mention of institutional racism, police brutality and police gangs... terrible line of work.
3
@philippe Djigane. Or maybe the fact that there are good police officers who are devalued by people who don’t think their efforts are “ valuable” is demoralizing. There are some rotten cops, but I would argue not the majority. It’s seldom helpful to paint an entire group of people with such a broad brush. I believe it’s called “ prejudice”.
3
@Maggie my comment has less to do with police officers actions but the rules and procedures police officers are required to follow. Such as Stop and Frisk, Arrest Quotas, etc. I also disagree that there are good police officers because they would speak up and call out the bad ones. That is not prejudice in anyway these are mere facts plus i don't care if I am being prejudice cops are not doing productive or valuable work in anyway.
2
@philippe Djigane
Your generalization that "police officers are not doing "productive/valuable/honest work" is just that, a generalization, and a silly one. Indeed, policing is "a terrible line of work." It's unfortunate that people take advantage of their fellow human beings, commit robberies and murders, and break the law in other ways. But until society figures out how to make everyone law-abiding, we need police officers.
3
This is not helpful.
------------
"Blue H.E.L.P., a nonprofit organization that tracks law enforcement deaths by suicide, has tracked that at least 146 active-duty and retired officers have taken their lives so far this year.
The group’s president, Karen Solomon, said that when you consider the size of the New York Police Department — about 36,000 officers — its suicide rate may be comparable to other agencies around the country.
“There are departments with less than 200 officers and you have two suicides. That’s higher than the N.Y.P.D.,” Ms. Solomon said. “Smaller departments have higher rates statistically, but we don’t hear about others because they are not the N.Y.P.D., America’s police department.”
...
"Even by merely seeing a therapist, officers must contend with practical implications of alterations to their schedules and availability to earn overtime, he said.
“They feel it would hurt their careers. You take away what makes them a cop,” Dr. Coghlan said."
Heartbreaking story. Why hasn’t anyone at the NYPD been disciplined for their inaction? Where is the accountability with New York’s Finest? When things turn bad, our hero Cops turn into chumps. Simply amazing. My heart goes out to the family.
9
I asked his whole family for help. They put him in a hospital and left him there. Then they called me to come and get him. I thought I had removed all the guns from the house. I didn't know that he had hidden them in different spots. I did what I needed to. I'm sure thoughts of "what if he doesn't just take himself but me and the kid?" This is what people who have loved ones that hang on the edge deal with. We can't legally take away their guns. It's not just officers, or soldiers, or farmers, or (insert other groups of folks here). This epidemic will only get worse.
11
All public safety officers and staff should be trained in Critical Incident Stress Management www.icisf.org as should their families. This will save lives, marriages and careers. New York learned this in the months and years after the September 11th attacks, why is it no longer front and center. Have we learned nothing?
2
I hope Ms. Echeverria can find the strength to press on with dealing with how this was mis-handled by the Department. I'm not a fan of lawsuits but any settlement, and there should be one, ought to require improvements to handling the issue of mental health and suicide. My heartfelt condolences to the family.
3
There is no mention in this story of the leadership of the PBA which, at every point of change in recent years, has resisted change. In the matter of police suicide it could lead the effort to remove the stigma and penalties for seeking help.
71
@Tom
If only officers committing suicide could understand that Pat Lynch doesn't [expletive] want them to do that. He has their back.
1