“You need not be alone and suffer in silence on your path to recovery.”
We are very proud to be partnered with
The Badge of Life (USA)
Police Suicide Statistics for 2011
Police officers (est.) in US with symptoms of PTSD: 135,000
For every police suicide, almost 1,000 officers continue to work while suffering the painful symptoms of PTSD.
The Cost of Police Suicides:
141 suicides: 2008- $129,228,192
143 suicides: 2009 – $130,144,700
Total Cost of Police Suicides for 2 Years:
$259,372,800
Sources: CDC Data, 2011 Lost work time and medical costs;
Badge of Life NSOPS study.
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Surviving and Living
with
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Police officers experience daily contact with violent, perverse and cruel people which takes a toll on a police officer’s heart and mind and has a toxic effect on their souls. It can never be enough that we sit and wait until officers are in crisis or are suicidal before we act.
We have to do something before they get there!
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A retired Ottawa Police Sgt. states:
I was the NCO (Sgt.) in charge of the scene for the the family of 5 killed in an apartment fire on Somerset Street.
A Sgt. in charge of the scene for a mother, father and sister who were stabbed to death by their son/brother in Pineview (Neighbourhood in Ottawa’s east end)
A Sgt. in charge of the scene where a girl was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in New Endinburgh.
A woman had been run over by a garbage truck in Sandy Hill and I had to notify her husband that his wife had died.
I talked a guy out of jumping off the Chaudière Bridge in the middle of the night. Never mind the “day to day” suicides and “natural” deaths … All within one year… It takes a toll on everyone that “did their job” at these scenes.
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Many police officers become disabled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of being directly or indirectly involved in traumatic incidents while working in their chosen profession of protecting the public. Becoming disabled with PTSD and taking the path to recovery does not have to be a lonely journey.
Badge of Life Canada is helping to educate police officers about PTSD, how it affects the individual and the family. Many officers who become disabled with PTSD have a fear of seeking help because they are very concerned about the stigma of having a mental disorder.
In attempting to mask the pain they are feeling, many have turned to alcohol and/or drugs. Some commit suicide as they do not see a way out of their pain, depression and despair. Many police officers have the symptoms of PTSD, but do not have enough information about the disorder and the resources that are available to them when they do decide to seek help. And, many have the symptoms of PTSD, but don’t know they have the disorder.
“There is Always Hope”
For many reasons, many police services in Canada and the United States do not have programs or resources available to aid active police officers who have become disabled with PTSD. Or to help the police officers who have retired and some years after retiring have succumbed to this debilitating disorder. This is a very serious problem in both Canada and the United States. Something has to be done to rectify this situation.
We. as well as the Badge of Life (USA) endeavor to provide visitors with the latest developments in programs and resources that can be of help to police officers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as assisting police officers’ spouses/partners.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will do our best to give you as much information that we can to assist you. For all correspondence, please use the Contact page. All of your correspondence will be held strictly confidential.
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Thank you,
Peter Platt – Editor
Hello Andy and Peter and everyone else.
I finally made it to site after a few months. I am a retired (short career) police officer and one that suffered from PTSD. I am now teaching college students to become future police officers in Ontario.
I look forward to keep in touch and sharing ideas. A big thank you Peter for getting me here.
D.M Toronto, Ont
I’m searching to know what is life after PTSD, can we live without set a back, I was not diagnosed for over 20 years, I was sent to a detox, not a treatment centre, because of my self medication with alcohol, I’m back to work and now face the stigma from the organization,
A good question, Luc. I’m not completely understanding your circumstance, but can assure you that substance abuse is often what they call a “maladaptive coping technique” to deal with trauma and the symptoms of PTSD. I’m glad you were finally diagnosed properly, though stigma is common and borne of ignorance.
Can we live without a setback? Life gives us no guarantees, particularly with PTSD, which is an injury to the brain that results in both emotional and physical changes–often permanent. The amount of time and the symptomology since the trauma can play a role in the likelihood of a recurrence. If you are feeling concern for yourself or any symptoms at all, and if the stigmatization is bothering you, you absolutely should visit a therapist a few times and talk things over.
You’re not alone–all of us who have survived PTSD this far share the same worries. Be kind to yourself, and don’t be afraid to find someone to talk with!
We want to express our admiration and support for the work you are doing for veterans and first responders. Your efforts are doing much to spread the message of hope and healing. Both Inspector Kruger and Robert Goodman must be admired for their courage in stepping forward and offering themselves as examples of the struggles so many of us face–and can endure. Continue on with your inspired work!
Andy O’Hara, Badge of Life
Listen I have been searching for months on finding info about service dogs. I have served 1 tour in Iraq and was medivaced out. I am service connected for PTSD and other things. I found the perfect dog to be my service dog and she is a pup and I am going to do the training myself with the help of some wonderful people I have met. I am from Ohio and Service dogs for veterans is a new thing and the VA has yet to start helping with paying for the training. I have started training my dog even though it is the 1st steps to many I have really enjoyed the 1st steps.
When I got back and to this day I have not done the things I used to enjoy before I went over but with the training have something to do again. It is funny even as young as she is I had training last night with her and on the way home I started to get aggressive while I was driving and I think she sensed that and place her head on my leg as to say slow down and it was weird I started to feel better. Now the training I want to do is going to take longer due to money and the VA not paying but it will get done.
Service dogs for Veterans is going to be a great thing for us and you are going to see a lot more of us doing it to survive everyday life.
F.D. USA