Buried in a story about an LAPD narcotics officer killing herself is this information: “Between 1998 and 2007, 19 LAPD officers committed suicide.” That’s a lot. More, in fact, that the 11 LAPD officers who have died in action.
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This is a major, major issue in policing although it gets very little attention. Nobody wants to talk about it.
I don't know what the definitive solution is. But one answer might lie in using MDMA during psychotherapy sessions to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Like alcohol, MDMA increases trust and reduces fear. Unlike alcohol, there is no memory loss and no hangover. Therefore MDMA may be appropriate for certain groups – like police officers and soldiers – who tend to have a deep, institutional distrust of therapists.
In my short career in law enforcement, too many officers I know have committed suicide. It is an absolute tragedy.