Suicide wave at sheriff's office in Texas: 4 victims in a month and a half
Kyiv • UNN
In Harris County, Texas, four sheriff's deputies (one active and three former) have died by suicide in six weeks. Psychologists attribute this to the specifics of law enforcement work.
Devastating tragedies in Texas, USA. The funeral of a former Harris County Sheriff's Office employee is already the 4th suicide-related case. This is reported by UNN with reference to The Mirror.
Details
In the past six weeks, four Harris County Sheriff's deputies in Houston, Texas, one active and three former, have died by suicide.
On Thursday, loved ones and colleagues said goodbye to Deputy Christina Kohler, a former employee of the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Three other sheriff's representatives also died by suicide.
Who is included in the unfortunate statistics
In addition to 37-year-old Deputy Kohler, who was initially reported missing two weeks ago before being found dead on March 13, three other individuals are also mentioned:
Former Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Maria Vasquez, who left the department in December, also died by suicide;
Former Deputy William Bozeman was found dead under similar circumstances;
Former Deputy Long Nguyen, 58, died by suicide on February 6.
Dr. Thomas McNeese, Director of Behavioral Health for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, explained how working in the field can take a toll on an officer's mental health:
The last few weeks have been difficult for our employees and for the Sheriff's Office as a whole. This profession, unfortunately, takes people's lives. And over time, the longer you are in it, the more it affects people and changes them
According to Houston Police Officers' Union President Douglas Griffith:
The risk of suicide is 54% higher for law enforcement officers.
Harris County Deputies Organization President Jose Lopez said he and his fellow officers are now aware of the gravity of the situation.
Recall
An 18-year-old boy, who was taken from Ukraine to Russia, committed suicide.