Death is always a tragedy.
Human life is precious.
All civilizations and cultures throughout history have mourned death.
All the great religions condemn suicide.
Suicide might cease our suffering as we leave the world behind.
But at what cost?
Some say suicide is the most selfish act, wherein we transfer our suffering to all our loved ones and multiple it by a million.
According to a Badge of Life study, the #1 killer of police officers is suicide.
The #1 one killer of police officers is law enforcement suicide. Law enforcement suicide occurs 1.5 times more frequently compared to the general population.
The last full year study (2012) broke down the 126 suicides into the following statistical data:
- Average age of officers dying by suicide was 42
- Average time on the job for officers dying by suicide was 16 years
- 15% – 18% (150,000) of officers suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress
- 91% of suicides were by male officers
- 63% of officers dying by suicide were single
- 11% of officers dying by suicide were military veterans
- Firearms were used in 91.5% of police suicides
- In 83% of the police officer suicides, personal problems appear prevalent prior to the suicide
- 11% of the police officers dying by suicide had legal problems pending
- California and New York had the highest reported police suicides
If we see the worth of human life, we must ask why are all these police officers committing suicide?
Is this due to a culture of death and negligence in our police departments?
Were these officers weary souls who couldn’t numb themselves to mindless violence anymore?
Officers who couldn’t live in a culture where human lives have become disposable “accidents”?
These are legitimate questions we must face if we want to be the nation we are meant to be.
A nation of equity and justice for all.
A nation of dignified citizens united for human flourishing.