They Stand Watch

New American Prophet ^ | May 2, 2025 | Frederick Andrew Wolf Jr.

[Rev M. Bresciani]

When tragedy strikes, we often ask how or why. This occurred recently in Texas; unfortunately, it is something that happens too frequently in every state. In a span of only six weeks, four current and former Harris County Deputy Sheriffs died. But their deaths were not in the line of duty – it was suicide. For several weeks, these tragic losses swept the national news and brought into specific relief a problem of which many remain unaware: those that protect us need our help.

This happens across the country, with California, Florida, New York, and Texas suffering the highest rates of officer suicides, each reporting at least 10 police suicides last year.

[Laslo Fripp]

Why can’t you post the entire article?

[Resolute Conservative]

In today’s climate ever officer under the rank of lieutenant knows that nobody (including city/county/state elected officials) above them has their backs. Even mistakes made that are not criminal will result in said officer being castigated, demoted, fired, loss of pay, or even imprisoned. Until that problem is fixed nothing will change. On top of that all these suicide prevention programs (millions of dollars spent on consultants etc...) being created are being written by the people that ARE the problem. The leadership. Rank and file officers know that and really don’t care about these programs.

This doesn’t even address the issues they face on the top and the stress of what the see and deal with. My .02 cents.

[Orosius]

Police officers (and priests) deal with people at their worst day in and day out. No surprise it’s demoralizing. The wonder is not that some commit suicide or quit, but that more don’t.

The same goes for dentists, oddly enough.

[Myrddin]

My wife was a police/fire/EMS dispatcher from 1996 to the end of 2023. The time from January 2021 to Dec 2023 was served in our local, small city. As a dispatcher, you see all of the traffic going to/from the officers in the field. The names, locations and offenses. Some names and offenses recur on a regular basis. Overlaid on that was the geographic nature of LDS/Mormon "wards" and "stakes". It wasn't long before the names of regular offenders were permanently committed to memory. We really attempted to attend meetings at church when we arrived in town. It wasn't long before my wife realized that many of the people sitting around her were part of the regular offenders she encountered at work. She honestly knew more than the bishop about many of those people. Suffice to say, it was just too uncomfortable to continue attending. There were some suicides over the past 25 years. My wife tried to avoid any more interaction or mention of those incidents.

[rellic]

The answer is obvious. Nobody likes cops.
From the article
“Every day these men and women have a story to tell, but always in the context of uncertainty — about making it home alive. “
BS! there are many professions more dangerous!
I don’t think cops are even in the top ten most dangerous.

They abuse their powers with impunity. eg “run you through the system” just to cost you a lawyer bill you can’t afford.

So people hate them.
Admittedly we have way to many stupid laws that they have to enforce, but they can also ignore enforcement in petty cases. But they don’t. because it is safe and gets them arrest counts.

I won’t drink a beer in public with a cop. I won’t even talk to a cop unless the law says I have to.
Why? Because he carries a gun and he can shoot me.
The system assumes I’m in the wrong and I have the burden
of proof. Me, a civilian against the entire purse of society. Who wins that war of lawyers?

I once wanted to be a cop, took police science classes and did ride alongs.
I decided I could not work around these people.
So I became a soldier, technician, and then engineer and got a job as far away from cops as possible.