CMPD Suicide Prevention Training Breaking Down Mental Health Stigma
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —Β Police officers respond to dozens of calls each week — from traffic stops to domestic violence — those calls can range from calm…. to deadly.
“So imagine relieving that trauma over and over again and then you have to get up the next day and go to work like nothing happened,” mental health advocate Fonda Bryant said.
Dealing with that trauma is why mental health advocate Fonda Bryant is fighting on the frontlines for mental health.
“These officers are out here putting their lives on the line every day and they’re struggling behind the scenes because of the shame and the stigma that comes with mental health,” Bryant said.
She teaches a suicide prevention training course for rookie police officers at CMPD.
In the course officers learn key skills to help others in crisis and also to help themselves.
“It helps you to be able to recognize the signs that someone is suicidal or in crisis. number two it helps you to gauge your own mental health. How am I doing today. Maybe I need to go talk to somebody,” Bryant said.
LieutenantΒ Kevin Petras has been with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for 15 years.
He says though officers respond to difficult calls often, sometimes its how they respond to their own emotions that can be even harder.
“Police officers generally are very good with responding to critical incidents and dealing with critical incidents but often times issues come after the fact in handling the emotions and the stress that come with having to live with those in your head,” Petras said.
This year alone, 83 law enforcement officers have died by suicide, according to First Help, a first responders suicide group.
Bryant said that’s why addressing mental health especially for new officers is so important.
“Mental health should be at the forefront of policing. It should be at the forefront because if they’re not doing well mentally it’s going to carry out into the community,” Bryant said.
For Bryant, who is a suicide survivor, teaching the course hits close to home and she hopes the training and her message is one that could one day save a life.
“It just lets you know that you’re on the right path and you’re making a difference,” Bryant said.
