By Police1 Staff
PHOENIX — Police associations in Phoenix are calling for change in the way the department handles mental health issues after the suicide earlier this month of an officer suffering from PTSD.
AZ Central reports Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Joe Clure believes the department, police chief and city could have been more active in aiding fallen Officer Craig Tiger, who suffered with PTSD after the fatal 2012 shooting of a man armed with a bat.
Officer Tiger was found dead the weekend of November 8 in his vehicle with a series of suicide notes, according to KPTV.
One of those notes, addressed to department police Chief Daniel Garcia, read as follows:
“You and the city of Phoenix failed me, plain and simple. Police work is hard. I’ve seen everything – every way a person can die, I’ve seen. No excuse! Just not as strong as I thought I was.”
In the wake of Tiger’s death, Clure, in partnership with the Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association, wrote a letter to Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher demanding, “change in the arena of how we as a city and police department recognize and treat PTSD issues.”
Tiger was terminated after receiving a DUI. The department has a no-tolerance policy for offending officers. Clure believes the circumstances should have been considered before the decision was made to fire Tiger.
A 12-year-veteran officer, Tiger reportedly suffered nightmares and drinking problems after the June 2012 shooting incident. He was stopped for DUI on the first anniversary of the shooting, according to the report. PLEA officials claim Officer Tiger intended to kill himself that day.
KPTV reports Tiger’s ex-wife, Rebecca, believes Garcia should have dealt with Tiger’s PTSD as a line-of-duty injury.
“Just because it’s mental and not physical? Why would you discard him? He should have been treated. He should have been able to keep his job and been placed on admin leave,” Rebecca told KPTV.