In recent months, the Atlanta Police Department has lost two officers to suicide. While the stress and trauma which police officers face is omnipresent, there has been a marked increase in the mental health challenges faced by first responders in the past decade.
According to a recent national study, since 2017, more police officers have died by suicide than from incidents in the line of duty.
To address these concerns, the Atlanta Police Foundation and APD are meeting with leading experts in the field of suicide, trauma prevention, and mental health to develop a formal program specifically designed to meet the needs of APD officers. We plan to launch the program by mid-year.
Chief Schierbaum has embraced protecting the mental health of APD officers as a top department priority.
APF’s objective is to ensure that APD officers have immediate and easy access to mental health professionals to deal with acute issues, as well as long-term programs and therapies that ensure they receive the full medical and emotional support they need to maintain mental health.
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APF provides APD officers with a full suite of officer support programs, including retention and recruitment bonuses, housing allowances for in-town living, scholarships, tuition reimbursement, subsidized housing for police academy recruits, and life insurance for families of those killed while on duty.