PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Nationally, the number of police department suicides is down from the recent years of pandemic and civil unrest. However, in Philadelphia, the number grew in 2022. The Police Department is working on some mental health strategies for cops.
For the last two years, the Philadelphia Police Department did not record any suicides — but in 2022, four officers took their own lives.
PPD Suicides by Year
2015: 1
2016: 2
2017: 2
2018: 0
2019: 1
2020: 0
2021: 0
2022: 4
And nationally, still nearly 200 police officer died by suicide, according to First H.E.L.P., a nonprofit dedicated to helping reduce mental health stigma among first responders.
“We are all just human, and we all respond to those stressors — whether we are cops, whether we are military, prosecutors, defense attorneys,” said Steven Hough, CEO.
“They are taking in all of these sights, these sounds, these smells, these graphic visualizations, and they are hanging on to it — because, when they go home and the significant other says ‘How was your day?’ we say ‘It’s alright, it’s fine.’”
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He says most older men, who make up a large portion of officers across the country, won’t seek help.
“These guys are really afraid of losing a culmination of 25 years for retirement, for their families, for them to be able to live a ‘normal life,’” Hough said.
Hough recommends that friends and family of police, as well as fellow officers, should take cues, just like a police officer would do during an investigation — and just ask to listen.
“It’s not about a discussion. It is literally about sitting there with somebody and letting them get it off their chest,” he said.
“Open that dialogue, and let them know that you are there for them, and you may be surprised at the results you get.”
To provide those opportunities, various groups convene at the Fraternal Order of Police — a military-to-police support group, a PPD alcoholics anonymous, a support group for officers who have had to shoot someone in the line of duty, among other counselors and programs for union members. There is a priest on staff. And the city has an assistance program for employees.
During a recent press conference, Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the department is looking at a new peer-to-peer program and a new intervention program — “which will help us identify risk ahead of time, so we can either monitor or intervene or take disciplinary action if need be.”
In addition, they are looking at the possibility of migrating officers to 10-hour shifts, four days a week, to build in some more rest days during the week.
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