The suicide of a police officer in Montgomery County, Maryland, this week is part of a surge in law enforcers across the country taking their lives, prompting police departments to address concerns about the mental health of their members.
Psychologists and police officials say a number of factors — such as increased scrutiny, mandatory overtime, perceived hostility and physical danger — contribute to the daily stress on officers.
“I have been in law enforcement 23 years myself. I can’t recall a time ever that its has been so stressful and difficult to be a law enforcement officer,” said Officer Sherri Martin of the Enfield, Connecticut, police department and chair of the national officer wellness committee of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Among the police officers who have ended their lives in recent weeks:
⦁ Montgomery County Police Officer Thomas Bomba, 38, requested backup Monday for a report of disorderly conduct at a parking garage in Silver Spring, Maryland. When officers arrived, they found Officer Bomba suffering from a gunshot wound. He died later at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
[…]
