By Nelson A. King
New York City Public Advocate
Jumaane D. Williams on
Tuesday held a roundtable discussion
with representatives
from police organizations to
address officer mental health
in the wake of a recent spike in
New York Police Department
(NYPD) officer suicides.
Williams noted that nine
officers have lost their lives to
suicide this year, an increase
from a previous average of four
to five annually.
The roundtable brought
together a coalition of NYPD
officer fraternal organizations,
including the National Latino
Officers Association, the Grand
Council of Guardians, the
NYPD Guardians Association
and the National Organization
of Black Law Enforcement.
The Police Benevolent Association
and the mental health
advocacy organization Samaritans
NYC also participated in
the discussions, Williams said.
He said participants “candidly
discussed daily stressors
Caribbean L 32 ife, Aug. 30, 2019
faced by New York City police
officers.”
These included pressure
to meet performance goals;
broadly-held perceptions of
police officers nationwide; the
NYPD’s “lack of flexibility”
in meeting officers’ personal
requests/needs, such as changing
shifts and precinct reassignments;
lack of a system to track
complaints about supervisors;
the stigma and consequences
attached to officers asking for
mental health support; and
officers being “psyched out” of
career advancement.
“Suicides are up around our
nation, and NYPD officers’ suicides
are among the highest,
especially this year,” Williams
told reporters afterwards. “This
conversation, this press conference,
is not meant to be a harsh
criticism of the department on
this issue.
“This is about moving
away from stigma and moving
toward solutions that can
save lives,” he added. “We have
a mental health crisis, and we
need to meet the very human
and personal needs of men and
women who police our communities.”
Williams said several methods
in addressing “the crisis”
were raised, with recurring
themes including the creation
of an independent support system
that allows officers to seek
help anonymously.
Currently, according to
attendees, there are reporting
mandates when officers seek
mental health support, Williams
said.
Other recurring themes
were: Creating career mentorship
programs within the
NYPD; Normalizing conversations
about mental health
and creating opportunities for
regular check-ins; and De-stigmatizing
officers and programs
that support those who ask for
help.
Williams said his office is
pursuing legislation that would
provide an independent hotline
“that would give officers
the anonymity that is currently
New York City Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams.
Photo by Steve Solomonson
lacking when they need help/
support.”
He indicated that findings
from the roundtable would be
made available to the NYPD,
and that these conversations
and discussions would continue
with all stakeholders.
Williams holds roundtable
on officer suicides
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