co-worker suicide

[kingsman]

I just got called by my supervisor and informed that I would need to work on my day off. She also informed me that one of our co-workers shot himself last night, apparently over family problems.

God how I hate this. He was young and in good health. I know there is a high suicide rate among law enforcement, but is there also a high rate among Security officers? This is the Second suicide on our staff of 30 in 3 years. Is
this normal? An Aberation? Or is it something we need to worry about?

[SecTrainer]

I just got called by my supervisor and informed that I would need to work on my day off. She also informed me that one of our co-workers shot himself last night, apparently over family problems.

God how I hate this. He was young and in good health. I know there is a high suicide rate among law enforcement, but is there also a high rate among Security officers? This is the Second suicide on our staff of 30 in 3 years. Is
this normal? An Aberation? Or is it something we need to worry about?

Very sad - my condolences to all. I have never personally been able to wrap my brain around the notion of suicide as a "solution to problems", except perhaps in cases of terminal illness and severe pain.

I've not seen specific data regarding suicide rates among security personnel and almost all the statistics seem to be related to police. As far as I know, the rate is not higher than average for security, but someone on the forum might have better data.

[bpdblue]

Sorry for the loss.

I'm sorry to hear about your co-worker. I have dealt with many suicide victims, those that died, and some that lived. I cannot understand how deep they must be in mental or physical pain to get to the point of actually attempting or succeeding in killing themselves, but for the most part you have to feel bad for them, and their family, friends, and CO-WORKERS they leave behind.

I worked with a police reserve who comitted suicide over family problems, and it was a sad situation for all involved. I hope what occurred has not gotten you too sad, just know that life goes on. Good luck in your work, and if you see another co-worker who seems to be troubled over this, try being extra nice in understanding what their going through, and if they seem overly bothered, you might pass that info on to your supervisor so they can get involved in helping out the co-worker.

[Jeremy]

We had an officer suicide about 3 weeks ago. The officer was a former cop. He shot himself in his car at his house after arguing with his wife. He was 55.

I never worked with him (we share security operations with an in-house staff, which he worked on) but it was sad.

[sgtnewby]

One of our officers committed suicide about 4 to 4.5 years ago. It was over a girl. Great guy, well liked by most, but just had some problems. Before he died, he told some of us that he didn't mean to do it. He poured gas on himself in this girls front lawn, struck a lighter, and the fumes ignited. He said he never meant to light it. He ended up coming in to our ER Stabalization room, and was admitted to our Burn unit before someone realized who he was. He held on for about five weeks. Those of us who knew him, miss him very much. It's never easy to experience something like this, but just know that while a lot of people may have a similar story to relate, it isn't really all that common to just security. It happens in all types of occupations.

[Bill Warnock]

One of our officers committed suicide about 4 to 4.5 years ago. It was over a girl. Great guy, well liked by most, but just had some problems. Before he died, he told some of us that he didn't mean to do it. He poured gas on himself in this girls front lawn, struck a lighter, and the fumes ignited. He said he never meant to light it. He ended up coming in to our ER Stabalization room, and was admitted to our Burn unit before someone realized who he was. He held on for about five weeks. Those of us who knew him, miss him very much. It's never easy to experience something like this, but just know that while a lot of people may have a similar story to relate, it isn't really all that common to just security. It happens in all types of occupations.

That is so sad. A fellow in our Air Police Squadron, had the same problem and stuck his issued M-1911A .45 under his chin. God what a sight!
My father's advice rings true, but that again is hindsight.
"There was a cat sitting next to a rail in a switch yard waiting for lunch to run by. Its tail was over the rail and a train came by and cut it off. Turning, its head was cut off." The moral, as my father explained it, "Never loose your head of a piece of tail."
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[copelandamuffy]

About a week ago on a Friday morning my Field Suervisior called me at
0600 hours that a Security Guard whom I worked with jumped off an eleven story building in downtown Boston. Divorce and money problems.

He was the type of person who after speaking with him for five minutes you wanted him as your friend.

[JB diligence]

Perhaps work is affecting personal life to much, Do you have an Employee Assistance Program? Look into it.

[kingsman]

Yep, assistance is available.

Also, we are all afraid this could now cost us the contract (two guards in five years using their issued weapon to suicide) or at least have our weapons removed and become unarmed security, with a significant cut in pay.

So now instead of effecting just his family, it might impact 30 other families as well.

[integrator97]

Yep, assistance is available.

Also, we are all afraid this could now cost us the contract (two guards in five years using their issued weapon to suicide) or at least have our weapons removed and become unarmed security, with a significant cut in pay.

So now instead of effecting just his family, it might impact 30 other families as well.

Unless a person decides to take their life during an argument at work, the duty weapon will have nothing to do with it. A person intent on ending their life will find a way. It's rarely a situation of opportunity. They've thought this out.

Most people who do this are deeply depressed. They're not nuts, crazy or psycho. They are hurting. Far deeper than most anyone can see. It's usually not short term problems, not a fight with the spouse, or bills piling up.

They hurt alot. They are sad or feel life is hopeless, that their pain won't go away. It might be a crushing loss, of a spouse or child, through death or separation. It might be many things combined. They may seem alright alot of the time. But they may be crying when they are alone. Yes, even the 35 year old 6'2, 220 lb tough guy. They drive home thinking of how empty their life is, or how much they miss someone, and how much it still hurts after 6 months. Their marriage might look fine, they don't fight. But they also have no closeness maybe. And they may not want help. Sometimes they've thought about it over and over, and they're just tying up loose ends, or waiting to see if it will get better. Then one day, they decide it isn't. And they do what they've thought about for so long.

It's painful for all involved, family, friends and co-workers. It's terribly sad, and such a waste that they could't get or didn't want the help they needed. But maybe they are suffering less now than they were with the pain they lived with. Depression is a horrible thing to live with.

[Hank1]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your teammate. My condolences to you all.

Be Safe,

Hank

[JB diligence]

Integrator hit the nail on the head.

People need to end the stigma behind mental illnesses which includes depression and anxiety infact depression is the common cold of mental illness and the depressed/anxiety affected person is not crazy psycho or anything else they have just as legitimate illness as those with heart problems high blood pressure and anything else that if off there meds can very well be fatal.

Theirs nothing wrong with seeking help.

[Hank1]

Integrator hit the nail on the head.

People need to end the stigma behind mental illnesses which includes depression and anxiety infact depression is the common cold of mental illness and the depressed/anxiety affected person is not crazy psycho or anything else they have just as legitimate illness as those with heart problems high blood pressure and anything else that if off there meds can very well be fatal.

Theirs nothing wrong with seeking help.

Right on JB! My sister has MS and sometimes, it's tough to deal with ( Depression is high in these cases).

[Mr. Security]

Integrator hit the nail on the head.

People need to end the stigma behind mental illnesses which includes depression and anxiety infact depression is the common cold of mental illness and the depressed/anxiety affected person is not crazy psycho or anything else they have just as legitimate illness as those with heart problems high blood pressure and anything else that if off there meds can very well be fatal.

Theirs nothing wrong with seeking help.

Yes and no. For example: Once a pilot starts taking medication to treat depression, he's done flying for as long as he is taking the meds. It doesn't matter to the FAA whether or not it helps you do your job. Once you take meds, you're marked.

The same can happen in other fields to. Sure, security (not armed) is more liberal in accepting that an employee needs to be medicated in order to function. But not all LE is that way. Oh, and BTW: Once a diagnoses becomes a part of your permanent record, it goes everywhere in this computer age of ours.

[NRM_Oz]

Sorry to hear all about this - as a manager I am pretty much talking with my crew alot and know depression can set in on even the toughest old boys. 1 close associate was going through a trial seperation and I told him - I want to see a family wall in our control room - pics of all your kids (I don't have any so used neices and nephews) and this was to remind us of WHY we keep safe at work. It settled him down and along with many others too. I still carry a pic of my wife in my wallet to remind me of why I need to come home safe every day.