Editor’s Note: Police1 recently launched a new series, “First Person,” where P1 columnists and members candidly share their own unique cop’s-eye-view of the world, from personal insights on issues confronting cops today to observations and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. This week’s feature is from Police1 Columnist Andrew G. Hawkes, author of the book “Secrets of Successful Highway Drug Interdiction.” Do you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members? Send us an E-mail with your short article.
By Sgt. Andrew Hawkes
Highway Drug Interdiction
You simply cannot ignore it. Look at the headlines. From New York to Chicago, from Utah on down to Texas, we have police suicides and police committing violent crimes. Sometimes police are committing crimes just before they take their own lives or commit Suicide by Cop. And it is happening in record numbers. Why?
I’m not a doctor, only a street-hardened cop, but I’ll be glad to give you my opinion. As officers we see and deal with everyone else’s problems on a daily basis. Over the years those little stresses build up. We are humans too. We have our own personal problems and struggles. Sometimes it’s hard to have you head in the right place on a domestic disturbance or a wreck when you’re dealing with finding out you wife is leaving you or your teenager just got arrested.
It’s called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We’ve all heard about it and most of us have it to some degree.
I’m sick and tired of seeing good cops that needed help not get any help. We as police officers are afraid to tell anyone we are having problems and need someone to be here for us. We are afraid that we will lose the one thing that means everything to us, our JOB. And the reality of it is that’s what usually happens. “Officer Smith has a drinking problem, so let’s fire him or put him behind a desk.”
The violent crimes that we see from “good cops gone bad” is a statement. It’s a statement from these once-trusted law enforcement professionals that says, “I needed help, I helped others my whole life, but no one would help me, and now everyone is going to pay for it”.
So, listen up, if you are someone that can help (and that’s Psychologists, Doctors, State and Federal Legislatures, Police Chiefs, and Police Associations), I AM CALLING YOU OUT.
“We are the police; we help people. Now, someone help US!”
Most cops would rather die than tell someone they need help — they think it is a sign of weakness. But I submit to you that it is not. It is a sign of being human, and it is a sign of dealing with personal problems and having everyone else’s problems stacked on top of those personal problems. That’s why we see alcoholism running rampant in law enforcement. We need someone to be there for us, but we don’t want anyone to know we need them. So we rely on our friends “Jack” and “Bud” to help us.
If you are a cop, and you need someone to lean on, go to your best buddy, go to your priest or preacher, go to a mentor — hell, call your mom — but talk to someone.
We are all brothers and sisters in blue. You’d be surprised at how much one of us is willing to help you, not laugh at you. We’ve all been there. I’d give the shirt off of my back to help a fellow officer if that is all I know to do.
Additional Resources: Confronting police officer suicide Police Officer Suicide: How to cope, how to heal |
Don’t become a statistic. It’s going to be OK, really. You are a good cop, talk to someone so that you stay that way. You’re brothers and sisters in blue are waiting for you to tell them.
God speed to you and yours,
Andrew G. Hawkes
