CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - In the past month, two Chicago police officers and a Chicago police sergeant have taken their own lives. Monday, police officials talked about that and what’s being done.
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said the past two-and-a-half years have been, perhaps, the most difficult time ever to be a police officer.
“Police officers are human and they have struggles just like everyone else,” he said.
Supt. Brown said the entire city grieves the loss of the sworn officers who committed suicide. He said they were valued by their fellow officers and served this city selflessly.
“As we continue to grieve and process, I know there will be hard days ahead,” the city’s top cop said.
Dr. Rob Sobo is director of the department’s Employee Assistance Program, the professional counseling program, and said more officers than ever are taking advantage of the counseling benefits that are available.
“Not only do they experience what most of us do on a daily basis but, on top of that, they experience unspeakable levels of stress, trauma and emotional and physical fatigue, the likes of which most of us will not know,” according to Dr. Sobo.
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Questions have been raised about the wear and tear that canceling officers’ days off has had on police officers. Supt. Brown did not address that directly but said that regular days off, not vacation time, may be canceled, and that when it’s done, it’s to make sure there are enough officers on the street to protect each other.
“Would you rather have fewer cops on the street or more cops on the street when that cop in that dark alley is calling for help?”
Supt. Brown said that, of the 104 days off (weekends) that officers get, 20 are canceled a year. He said eight of those canceled days off take place between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“We need to do a better job at making sure our officers are aware of the services that are there for them,” Supt. Brown said, even though more officers than ever are seeking counseling services. “We are at a pretty high point of officers utilizing our services but we have to do much more.”
Dr. Sobo said there are currently 11 licensed clinicians working for the department, with one more starting Friday and two more starting on August 1. He said the goal is to have one licensed counselor for each of the department’s 25 districts “so that every district has a clinician that is part of their own culture, that isn’t just a face out there that they know they can reach out to but is a familiar person, a trusted person.”
Chaplains of several religious denominations are also available to officers 24/7. Fr. Dan Brandt said the chaplains remind officers that the officers are doing God’s work.
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