CHEEKTOWAGA, NY (WKBW) — Did you know suicide is one of the leading causes of death among police officers?
“It's something that I pray that I never see here,” reflected Chief Brian Coons, Cheektowaga Police Department.
According to The Ruderman Family Foundation, more officers are likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. PTSD and depression rates among police officers are five times higher than the average person.
Cheektowaga Police have come up with a first-of-a-kind program to support their officers.
Coons tells me he's embracing a new mandate for his department to prevent suicides. All 130 police officers and dispatchers are asked to undergo a mental health check with a counselor once a year.
"Our officers experienced trauma, after trauma, after trauma just by going to all the different calls,” Chief Coons replied.
“Every year law enforcement officers are killing themselves at a faster rate than the bad guy’s bullets or car accidents combined,” remarked Anthony Lebron.
Lebron is a former Buffalo police officer who now serves as the vice president of the WNY Law Enforcement Helpline. He is advocating bringing this program directly to police while breaking the long-held stigma surrounding mental health.
“We realize that the stigma is very difficult to breaking down that barrier of asking for help when you are in a mental health crisis in law enforcement,” Lebron responded.
“They call it little pebbles in the bucket and pretty soon our bucket starts to fill,” Chief Coons.
“The suicides that I’ve attended while working, the shootings, infant calls involving children are some of the hardest,” recalled Lt. Caleb Harte, wellness coordinator, Cheektowaga Police Department.
Lt. Harte serves as the wellness coordinator and worked to bring this program to his department.
@CPDNYInfo is the first in WNY to begin a new program that offers mental health counseling to prevent suicides among officers. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among police officers. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/Ss6WnHKd7f
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) February 7, 2024
“Everyone kind of thinks we have this superman or superwoman mentality when it comes to you know, we're type 'A' personality and we've got this — we can handle anything that's thrown our way, and the reality when it comes down to is — we're human beings too,” Lt. Harte explained.
Both Lt. Harte and Chief Coons tell me they’ve received a great response for officers.
“And the feedback so far from people that have stopped in to personally see me or text me has been all positive, nothing but positive,” described Harte.
“I've gotten a lot of great feedback from the people that have gone already and have texted me personally,” noted Chief Coons.
Cheektowaga Police worked closely with Lebron and other partners and secured a $20,000 grant from Highmark and Lawley to fund this pilot program. It pays for the counselors and includes resources for the families of these officers.
“And they struggle in a different way. They're sitting at home, suffering in silence, and we want to make sure we are addressing that as well,” commented Lebron.
This program could now serve as a catalyst to encourage other police departments across Western New York to implement this life-saving program.
If you are a police officer in need of help, please call the WNY Enforcement Helpline at 716-858-COPS (2677).
