GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Grovetown Police Department hosted a “Behind the Badge” seminar to address mental health challenges facing law enforcement officers.
Law enforcement officers witness traumatic scenes daily, from dead bodies to other disturbing incidents that can impact their mental health over time.
The seminar focused on the reality of post-traumatic stress disorder that over 80% of law enforcement officers face.
According to the FBI, nearly 800 officers died by suicide from 2017 to 2021.
The Grovetown Police Department organized the seminar as part of efforts to address the mental health crisis in law enforcement.
Family members of people who lost someone in law enforcement due to suicide were to speak.
Police Chief Jamey Kitchens said this is the side of law enforcement that doesn’t get much coverage.
He said law enforcement agencies lose nearly as many officers to suicide as to line-of-duty deaths.
Among those at the seminar was Scott Gray with the Police Benevolent Association, which is offering the program.
“In the early ’90s, like they said, we didn’t have these type of programs, but it became more apparent through the years with our high suicide rate, high alcoholism, high divorce rate, and law enforcement, that we need some programs in place to help officers deal with critical incidents and the incidents they see every day,” he said.
The effects of a traumatic incident can last for years, he said.
And now as we’re moving into the Christmas season, seasonal depression can affect law enforcement officers as much as anyone else.
Gray has this message to those going through this:
“Reach out to somebody, friends, family. Also reach out to the state hotline as well. Reach out to people that can help you get through that, because you know life is worth living. And you can get through it. I’m a living example of it.”
He said that after 35 years, he was diagnosed with PTSD in the early 2000s over some critical incidents.
“It became a mission of mine while I joined the PBA after retiring to help law enforcement officers throughout this state and in the 11 states that we serve,” he said.
“It’s a calling.”
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