new york — For years, some organizations have been sounding the alarm about an epidemic that has left some first responders suffering from severe mental health problems.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that job stress for first responders may be associated with an increased risk of suicide, anxiety, depression, and other problems.
Local law enforcement agencies are currently making a new effort to emphasize mental health resources available to officers.
Brian Weitzman, a former sergeant with the Passaic County Sheriff's Office for more than 17 years, said, “Police officers deal with serious traumatic events, and they often don't realize how it's affected them until it's too late.'' I don't know if I'll give it,” he said.
It was almost too late for Weizmann.
“I was standing in line in the morning and asking everyone, 'Are you all OK?'” he said.
Weitzman said of himself, “I didn't know who to turn to. I didn't know who to turn to. I was at the weakest point in my life…The hardest thing was to hold myself back. That's what I'm trying to do.” “One Piece, and that's the one thing people don't want to talk about. It's a stigma. If you talk, you'll get a rubber gun squad.”
“We're proud of the reduction in crime, we're proud of the reduction in car thefts,” said Pat, president of the New Jersey State Troopers Benevolent Association. “They don't seem to understand at all what decisions are being made.” Corrigan said.
In 2018, 16 PBA members died by suicide, Corrigan said. In 2019, that number decreased to seven, but increased to eight in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, 17 PBA members died by suicide, and in 2023, the number decreased slightly to 12.
“The pressure from the public and the pressure from our agency can sometimes be too much,” Corrigan said.
“There are a lot of stressors in law enforcement today, like fighting drugs, fighting terrorism and crime, but we are so focused that it creates so much stress. ” said Joe Occhipinti, executive director of the National Police Department. Police Defense Foundation.
“When I started this job, you were a highly respected person. People wanted to talk to the officers, they wanted to be friends with them. Now it's the other way around,” Weitzman said. “People forget that we are human beings. Police officers are human beings too, and they have lives too. They have children, they have marriages, they have relationships, they have losses.”
A study published by the National Institutes of Health found that law enforcement personnel are 54% more likely to die by suicide than those in other occupations, and are more likely to die by suicide than those in other professions, and are more likely to die from witnessing a death, violence, or abuse. It also exposes the misery of human beings and children who have been tortured.
Weitzman says she finally sought help. His only regret is not doing it sooner. He is currently speaking to active law enforcement officers about his experience. His message: You are not alone. Please talk to someone.
“Just a phone call every week for an hour makes a huge difference because this is where I can tell someone what's going on and they can give me real answers on how to deal with it. “Because you can,” he said.
“There are many nonprofit organizations, some of which are [National Police Defense Foundation]There is a network of psychologists and psychiatrists out there who are willing to help,” Occhipinti said.
“The state PBA has seven or eight therapists on hand. We also have a full-time psychologist,” Corrigan said.
Weitzman, who also taught criminal justice at a local university, always told his students, “Your life will be better if you identify as a man or a woman or a human being first and as a police officer second.'' He is said to have said.
Weitzman says sometimes it's easier to talk to colleagues or former police officers who can really relate to what you're seeing. Cop2Cop is a 24-hour peer support network. njcop2cop.com.
For a list of additional mental health resources and assistance, please visit click here.
