Police week was last week. It is a time to honor and remember the lives of officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. It was in 1962 that President Kennedy declared May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Each year it is honored in numerous ways around the country. Thousands of families and officers travel to Washington DC and converge on the capital. There are tons of events and the National Police Memorial Service happens there. I know in Texas there is a memorial in Austin where lots of law enforcement march to the capital and a memorial is held there. On May 15th Galveston County has their memorial service to read the names and pay respects to those who have lost their lives.
This is the first year that I attended the Galveston County Memorial. The service was moving and beautiful. For each name that was read a rose was placed in a glass vase to symbolize their life. The rose was picked up by an honor guard member and handed to another honor guard member. Then it was passed on to an officer from the agency where the fallen officer served. That officer placed the rose in the vase. The thing that was so beautiful was that each time the rose was handed off, it was saluted. That rose represents a life that was lost trying to help others and it is not taken lightly. The thing about the service that really caught my attention was the list of names. Galveston Police Department has lost 20 officers in the line of duty since 1873. 20 deaths in 146 years doesn’t sound like too awful of a number, but it’s 20 more than ever should have happened. There were 10 other names read spanning other agencies in the county and thankfully many agencies didn’t have any to read.
The thing I started thinking about during all of the memorials and events during police week was those officers who choose to end their own life. Suicide in first responders is a major issue. The rate of PTSD and depression is five times higher for police and firefighters than for the civilian population. More officers die by suicide each year than are killed in the line of duty. Officers are exposed to so many horrible things and over time those horrible experiences build up. Officers work under this superhero mentality where they should always be able to fly in and save the day. “The expectations of officers are high- they are held to a greater standard where each crisis incident is expected to conclude peacefully with voluntary compliance. (Psychology Today)” When things don’t work out well, they take it to heart. They remember the faces of people who they “couldn’t save.” They are repeatedly insulted by people and often physically assaulted too. Combine all of these things with the fact that they miss out on so much time with their family, don’t have good sleeping patterns, aren’t always able to eat healthy, and don’t always have the best coping skills. While this might make it all a little more understandable, it doesn’t make it right. It breaks my heart that we are losing this many officers to suicide each year. It shouldn’t be this way.
The simple answer to it all would be for the officers to turn to someone and get help, right? It’s not really as easy as it sounds. Logistically getting help can be tough because they work long shifts already and most work a lot of extra jobs. Finding someone to talk to is also difficult. Officers do not trust easily, so it takes a lot for them to let that guard down and open up to someone. Employee Assistance Programs are available, but many officers fear that information will get back to the department or that it will impact their job. The biggest roadblock, I think, is the stigma behind getting any sort of help for your mental health because it can easily be seen as admitting defeat or a sign of weakness.
I’m hopeful that this will change, but I certainly hope it’s sooner rather than later. I consider it such a privilege when officers feel they can share things with me and trust me with their struggles. I hope that with each conversation the stigma of caring for your mental health can decrease. For officers, when you find yourself in a good place, check on your brothers and sisters in blue. Peer support is so powerful and can make such a difference. For police departments that have chaplains, I hope they see the value in their role and work to build relationships of trust with the officers. For those with a heart for law enforcement, you can help too! You can be a listening ear and a voice of encouragement. We can all work together to care for the officers who give their lives to protect and care for others.
I want to leave you with this excerpt from an organization called Blue H.E.L.P.:
“I’ve got your six.”
“Watch your six.”
Six. Your back. Watch your back. I’ve got your back. We’re reminding you not to let someone sneak up on you, ambush you. We’ll back you up so you’re safe.
Six isn’t the only number on the clock. If your back is six, your front is twelve. Your heart, your face, your head. Your twelve.
Who is watching your twelve? Who’s got your twelve?
We’ve got your twelve. So do your friends, co-workers and family. More importantly, you’ve got your twelve.
Watch your head and heart. Look at yourself in the mirror and be honest with your emotions. Ask for help when you need it. Believe that things will get better. We’re here to remind you that all is not lost and you can complete a law enforcement career with your heart and mind intact.
We’ve got your 12.
Articles Used:
PoliceOne- https://www.policeone.com/lodd/articles/482561006-Report-More-cops-died-by-suicide-than-in-line-of-duty-in-2018/
Psychology Today- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201809/law-enforcement-suicide-prevention
Blue H.E.L.P.- https://bluehelp.org/about-us/