228 officers killed themselves in 2019, a number far and above the 47 who were gunned down, or even the 77 who died as a result of car crashes and other accidents. It’s not a number that’s talked about all that much, either, but shows that there is something very wrong happening under the radar for the cops themselves. Whether the job is attracting individuals prone to violent, self-destructive behavior, or the stress of the job is compelling suicidal thoughts, or some combination, the toll it is taking is very real. We hear quite a bit about the “War on Cops”, but the truth is the officers are the real threat to themselves. A change is badly needed in the way that police work is done in the US, for the sake of citizens and for cops.
