Coping with the loss of an officer for rookies

[BehindBlueI's]

I'm posting an email I sent to my shift, primarily so that others can steal or modify it as they see fit in the unfortunate circumstances they find themselves in need. My shift is mostly younger officers, as are most middle shifts. For many of them, this is the first time they've had to bury one of their own.

Shift,

I have spoken with several of you individually but haven’t had the opportunity to speak with everyone. While I would prefer to have this conversation in person, In the days of no roll calls and social distancing, I find that e-mail will have to suffice.

For many of you, this is the first time you have dealt with a line of duty death within your own department. Even if you didn’t know Ptl. Leath personally, she was part of our family and her loss will be felt by all of us. Many of you are also dealing with the loss of a friend, and that compounds the grief. I would encourage you to take advantage of the multiple services our department officers, such as EAP, POST, the Chaplain’s Office, etc. Some of our more senior officers have dealt with this before, and I hope that they will also be resources for our younger officers dealing with this for the first time. As always, I am available to you at any time, on or off duty, as well.

I would also ask that not only do you take care of yourselves but that you monitor and care for your friends on the job. The realization that she wore the same uniform and did the same job will affect different officers in different ways even if they didn’t know her personally. If you see that your beat partners are struggling be courageous enough to reach out.

Finally, don’t forget the effects this can have on your family. It can be a horrible reminder to them of the very real dangers you face and that they have no way to influence that. That feeling of lack of control and fear can be very saddening and stressful for them as well. Remember that EAP is available to family members.

The memory of our downed officers will always be sore, but it does get better with time. We will get through this terrible tragedy with each other’s help. Look after each other and yourselves.

With respect,

[secondstoryguy]

We've had a lot of losses in the last couple of years. It's definitely hard on new folks, more specifically those who have not experienced the death of people they are close to(most haven't). I think the current generations also have a hard time understanding that we are in a dangerous job and losses are going to happen. Recognizing when people aren't "acting right" and getting them to go talk to someone is generally what we do.

I also believe strongly in what I call "mental inoculation". What this is to motivate people to periodically and very realistically dwell on death/serious bodily injury (both their own and others) in order to inoculate their mind or prepare their minds for misfortune. The act of visualizing this kind of thing is unpleasant but I've found it to go a long way when preparing myself mentally for folks that I know getting killed/seriously injured. I believe Yamamoto Tsunetomo's is his book Hagakure was trying to explain the same concept in this quote below:

“Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one’s body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one’s master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead”

[LittleLebowski]

We are diminished.

[KellyinAvon]

I'm posting an email I sent to my shift, primarily so that others can steal or modify it as they see fit in the unfortunate circumstances they find themselves in need. My shift is mostly younger officers, as are most middle shifts. For many of them, this is the first time they've had to bury one of their own.

Shift,

I have spoken with several of you individually but haven’t had the opportunity to speak with everyone. While I would prefer to have this conversation in person, In the days of no roll calls and social distancing, I find that e-mail will have to suffice.

For many of you, this is the first time you have dealt with a line of duty death within your own department. Even if you didn’t know Ptl. Leath personally, she was part of our family and her loss will be felt by all of us. Many of you are also dealing with the loss of a friend, and that compounds the grief. I would encourage you to take advantage of the multiple services our department officers, such as EAP, POST, the Chaplain’s Office, etc. Some of our more senior officers have dealt with this before, and I hope that they will also be resources for our younger officers dealing with this for the first time. As always, I am available to you at any time, on or off duty, as well.

I would also ask that not only do you take care of yourselves but that you monitor and care for your friends on the job. The realization that she wore the same uniform and did the same job will affect different officers in different ways even if they didn’t know her personally. If you see that your beat partners are struggling be courageous enough to reach out.

Finally, don’t forget the effects this can have on your family. It can be a horrible reminder to them of the very real dangers you face and that they have no way to influence that. That feeling of lack of control and fear can be very saddening and stressful for them as well. Remember that EAP is available to family members.

The memory of our downed officers will always be sore, but it does get better with time. We will get through this terrible tragedy with each other’s help. Look after each other and yourselves.

With respect,

Good evening BBI. As you know I work at the VA Medical Center just west of the Eskenazi Hospital. I was one of the people working the entrance that looks out on Ezkenazi (COVID-19 screening). When the motorcycle escort left with the vehicle carrying Officer Leath's body you could hear a pin drop.

Prayers for the family and friends of Officer Leath.

[Duelist]

Sorry that y’all are having to go through this.

[El Cid]

BBI, that’s an excellent email. I hope they heed your advice. Our profession still has a culture that inhibits people from asking for help.

I’m very sorry for your loss.

[Lon]

Saw this incident the other day. Very sorry you have to go through it. Way to take care of your troops, BBI.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Nicely done!

[vcdgrips]

Spot on, Sir.

[Jason M]

An excellent example for those in leadership positions to follow. That is gold medal sergeanting right there!