Police OfficersAnd Mental Illness

Chicago, IL—A Chicago police officer shot and critically wounded his own two young children and killed himself at his near, South side Chicago home. It’s hard to ever imagine anyone being driven to this kind of behavior for any reason.

Police officers above all are subjected to non-stop conflict, assault and hatred. Police officers are not really prepared for some of those experiences that can injure their metal stability during academy training. Most cops simply cope, raise their families and later retire without a major problem.

We’ve all heard about combat soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Are police officers somehow immune from this aliment? There are only so many life threatening, abusive or hurtful events a human can endure before he or she snaps. Most officers seem to complete entire careers without any symptoms of mental illness.

Police officers have to deal with depression and suicide at a higher rate that the general population. Police officers also have to see the darkest parts of our world that we protect ourselves from. Death, injury, and unimaginable behavior is investigated by our police officers every day.

We really don’t know much about mental illness and only know how to confine or drug the people that suffer those diseases. Let’s hope they find a way to prevent this kind of event in the future.

My prayers are with the loved ones of this police family.

Comments

Anonymous said…

My thoughts and prayers also go out to the family and the deceased officer. What a terrible tragedy.

September 15, 2008 6:32 PM

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