Casualties of Law Enforcement: Homicide and Suicide
Katherine Nielsen
Buena Vista University Online

Abstract
This work is an overview of the increase in deaths of law enforcement agents: those killed on duty and those who kill themselves. As per a yearly report (Berman, 2014), the number of law enforcement agents killed while working rose almost a quarter this past year compared to years prior, especially ambush-style killings. Police officers across the country face potential dangers on their job, and they are a target simply because they are in uniform. As well, every 17 hours an officer commits suicide (Berman, 2014). This paper explores the correlation of the stress experienced by law enforcement associated with general strain theory (GST). GST is an explanation for suicide ideation for law enforcement officers. Other articles observe that police officers may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a critical incident or a traumatic experience. PTSD awareness is critical for saving lives. Why is there an increase in law enforcement deaths and suicides, and what needs to occur to change this trend?
Keywords: post-traumatic stress disorder, general strain theory

Introduction
There were 50 officers murdered by shootings in 2014, a huge leap from the 32 such deaths a year prior (Berman, 2014). One officer killed is one officer too many, and this trend needs to be reversed. How does society stop this? Altogether, 126 law enforcement officers died in 2014, an increase of almost a quarter from the 102 officers who were killed in 2013 (Berman, 2014). What is causing this increase in law enforcement officers to die?
The most concerning about the measurement is that countless deaths are from ambush assaults, more than some other sort of shooting (Berman, 2014). There is an emergent number of ambush-style killings against law enforcement officers, which increases the growing concern about a growing anti-government sentiment. This is causing people to be violent towards law enforcement officers. Police officers face potential dangers on their job, but they are targeted just simply because they are in uniform.
Has there been a significant increase in deaths of police officers dying by their own hand? Does the occupation of working in law enforcement increase the risk of suicide? People would surmise that the daily trauma law enforcement officers have to encounter could cause mental health issues and potentially lead to depression and/or suicide. The research is indicative that there are multiple risk factors for suicide amongst law enforcement officers: “organizational stress, critical incident trauma, shift work and atypical work hours, relationship problems, and alcohol use and abuse” (Chae & Boyle, 2013, p. 92). Indicative that more needs done to assist officers who may be suffering and giving them the supportive services necessary.
Something has to happen to stop the exorbitant number of police deaths. There has been an increase in deaths of law enforcement officers die to murder and suicide. The number of police officers dying by firearms increased drastically in 2014 (Berman, 2014). All of these statistics prove that there is a growing problem with the death of law enforcement officers in our country due to homicide and suicide. All of these factors create a dangerous environment for officers. However, there is a way to fix this by implementing strategies that will save lives.
Literature
Studies conducted within the realm of law enforcement officer deaths show there is a rising problem with the death of law enforcement officers in our country due to homicide and suicide. In 1994, when looking at the firearms used in officer homicide, Wintermute (1994) tested the theory that firearms differ in their use in violent crimes. Its purpose was to show an accurate testing among the firearm crime theory regarding which guns were used in the commission of a crime (Wintemute, 1994). Compilation of the data was sorted into different categories, and it demonstrated that “handguns vary in their danger for utilization in homicide shootings of law enforcement officers” (Wintemute, 1994, p. 561). Gun control laws would limit the number of citizens that have access to firearms and result in fewer homicides of officers. Modifying the supply of firearms might reduce violent crime associated with law enforcement deaths. Handguns are easier to hide than long guns, so it would be prudent to make handguns a priority in the gun control law debate. Furthermore, the study was indicative that confiscating foreign guns would not diminish law enforcement manslaughter (Wintemute, 1994). This makes it apparent that the attention should be on guns in the U.S, not guns overseas. It would be prudent to keep the focus on getting the guns out of the hands of criminals in the U.S., rather than foreign guns.
Tucker-Gail, Selman, Kobolt and Hill (2010) conducted a study to try to determine why law enforcement officers die while on duty. People have speculated that is due to “bad timing, to bad people, to mistakes of procedure, policy, training practices, and to the characteristics of both officers and offenders” (Tucker-Gail, et al., 2010, p. 119). There are no certainties of what exactly causes officer deaths that occur while they are on duty, just more questions. Why does this happen? What needs to happen to prevent it from occurring? These same authors looked at age and employment tenure variations of deaths that occurred from 1995 to 1999. There were 309 officer deaths reported during that period, and it was most deadly for the officers with 0-4 years’ experience and between 30-39 years old (Tucker-Gail et al., 2010). The officers with a few years of officer employment tenure and under the age of 40 seemed to be at a much higher risk for officer homicide.
In a more recent study on assault and homicide, Brandl and Stroshine (2012) examined the risk of police work and associated murders and assaults of law enforcement officers, deadly auto accidents, and other injuries comparing frequency and rate of injuries. Comparisons were made of incidents from 1996 – 1998 to 2006 – 2008. The authors noted that the officers involved in assaults, homicides while on duty, accidents and injuries caused by a suspect actually decreased during these years (Brandl & Stroshine, 2012). It is unknown why there was a decrease in those years, but the trend of officer assault and homicide is increasing. It appears that criminals have less reluctance for violence involving police officers than they did before 2008.
Kachurik, Ruiz, and Staub (2013) conducted a study comparing the deaths of single and married officers. The inferences from the study are single officers are killed more often than married officers are, and officers with a family were less likely to be gunned down during their working hours (Kachurik et al., 2013). Self-protection, when one has children at home may perhaps be an automatic reaction. Responsibilities such as having a family may entice an officer to practice more caution when making decisions during his shift on duty (Kachurik et al., 2013). Moreover, an officer who does not have children has more time on his hands and may offer to work more shifts to fill in his free time. “More time spent on the job may expose an officer to more dangerous situations” (Kachurik et al., 2013, p.121). The authors believe officers who work more shifts increase their potential for danger. More hours on the job increases the chances of being in a dangerous situation and a possible shooting. This would put an officer that volunteers to work additional hours at a higher risk, simply because of working more hours.
Furthermore, Kachurik et al., (2013) study indicated that being a law enforcement officer has many dangers, not the least of which is dying in the line of duty. Many have examined the why and how police officers are murdered. People are of the misconception that shoot-outs are the main cause of law enforcement death, but research does not concur (Kachurik et al., 2013). “In general, police work incorporates numerous hazards due to its routine exposure to a wide range of injuries, illnesses, assaults and homicides” (Kachurik et al., 2013, p.115-116). According to the authors, Kachurik, Ruiz, and Staub (2013) being a police officer has become more deadly, and they are not dying in shoot-outs, as people would think. There are many reasons police are dying while on duty, and they do not always involve a firearm. There are other dangerous encounters during an officer’s workday that can put his life at risk. Administers should know that being injured is part of the risk of the job of working in law enforcement, but current emergency response systems cannot function in a combat-like environment (Cannon, 2013). There needs to be a plan protect officers on the scene of a crisis. Training today’s officers to be able to tend to a wounded officer should be part of the plan (Cannon, 2013). The newly trained officer has to prepare for the new war on the streets. This officer can bring more firepower to a gun battle and offer life-saving skills (Cannon, 2013). Officer training in life saving can increase the chance of officer survival, and it is time for the EMS system to join and support the needs of law enforcement.
Mumford, Taylor, and Kubu (2014) did a study on officer safety and how to decrease the number of officers killed in the line of duty. It is imperious that there is frequent evaluations done on safety equipment, such as body armor, the equipment used to protect the officer from dying from a gunshot wound. Other equipment for protection can be reflective equipment. Reflective equipment helps other drivers see officers when they are investigating automobile accidents (Mumford et al., 2014). Law officers that investigate car accidents at night have an increased risk of another vehicle hitting him. Officers standing on the side of the road assisting or ticketing a driver need equipment that warns other drivers to be aware of them. Other categories included in safety evaluations are management and operation standards (Mumford et al., 2014). Evaluating safety procedures and standards by management to make sure they are following safety protocol to keep officers safe. Providing the best equipment and maintaining safety standards is necessary for officer safety.
There have also been studies on officer suicides. Lester (1993) examined the intentional deaths of 92 New York City law enforcement officers from 1934 to 1939, which did not provide much evidence that “work-related stress played a role” (Lester, 1993, p. 1395).This would lead people to believe that it was not just the stress of the job that contributed to officer suicide. Lester (1993) studied the files of the 92 male officer suicides and the interviews done with their families and co-workers, the officers’ work records, and summary of what surrounded the officers’ lives and deaths (Lester, 1993). The results of this examination showed that the noteworthy correlation was alcohol use and whether the officer was single or married (Lester, 1993). Alcohol use was resolved to be more of a contributing factor in suicide than the stress endured while at work.
When studying officer suicide, Lester (1993) determined that the officers who used alcohol “more often had a history of work-related problems and more often had interpersonal precipitants for their suicide” (Lester, 1993, p. 1391). Strained relationships and difficulties at home can lead to increased alcohol consumption, worsening issues at home and carrying over into the job. Studying the family history, Lester (1993) opined that the alcohol use was not due to work or problems at home but rather indicative of the “cause of these” (Lester, 1993, p. 1397). The more alcohol an officer used at home would cause more problems at work, not vice versa. Law enforcement officers that took their lives in this study used alcohol and suffered problems at work due to their alcohol use (Lester, 1993). This brings up the query of what comes first. Does the stress cause the alcohol use or does the alcohol use cause stress? Alcohol use was the initial causation of the stress, not vice versa.
Violanti (1995) did a study on officer suicide and his findings were that the deaths were associated with the trauma an officer experiences on a daily basis. When opining on officer suicide, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine seemed to agree with the findings (Violanti, 1995) that law enforcement agents kill themselves due to their daily “exposure to human misery and their constant giving of themselves” (Violanti, 1995, para.20). People can only imagine the negative images that go through an officer’s mind after he has been through numerous traumatic events. Older male officers commit suicide more often than their younger counterparts and those approaching retirement (Violanti, 1995). People could surmise retirement suicides were the after effects of volumes of trauma an older officer has been through over many years. For various reasons, police officers tend to resist assistance regardless of their issues because “officers do not wish to appear weak or vulnerable in front of their peers” (Violanti, 1995, para.25). In order to stop this from occurring, agencies need to offer counseling programs as these have been shown to be successful in helping officers “remove the stigma of admitting they have problems” (Violanti, 1995, para.26). If the stigma or the mark of disgrace prevents an officer from seeking help or getting some assistance for what he may be suffering, then it is upon society to remove this stigma.
Gibbs, Ruiz and Klapper-Lehman (2014) did an examination on officers killed in the line of duty between 1808 and 2006 and found “that greater social investment did indeed decrease the likelihood of felonious death on the job” (Gibbs, et al., 2014, p. 281). There was a negative relationship when comparing officer experience and officer murder. Younger officers were more likely to be in a felonious murder than the officers that were near retirement. Furthermore, officers who are socially invested (i.e. married and have children), have fewer chances of dying than officers that were not married (Gibbs, et al., 2014). Being young and single increases the odds of dying while on duty.
Violanti (1995) study indicated that families of the officer suicide victims suffer the same emotional pain and guilt felt with all suicides, and there is a tendency for police departments to abandon the officer’s family (Violanti, 1995). It is the totality of the emotional impact suicide has that commands necessary intervention. Agencies need to put things in place to prevent suicides, starting with giving officers coping skills for both “professional and personal problems” (Violanti, 1995, para.31). It would be prudent to train supervisors to look for the red flags that are indicative of suicide ideation as part of the intervention program (Violanti, 1995). Supervisors need to be astute to the fact one of the officers is suffering prior to its becoming more serious. Strategies should be in place on the plan of action to take when the need arises.
In 2008, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine put together “a task force to study and combat a sudden increase in the number of suicides among law enforcement agents” (Townes, 2008, para.1). Corzine opined during a press release that it would be judicious to give immediate attention to the shocking increase of suicides in law enforcement officers, take responsibility and be there for the agents that might be suffering (Townes, 2008). Prevention and intervention programs are a great place for agencies to start. “We’re losing a police officer every 19 or 20 hours [from] self-inflicted wounds” (Townes, 2008, para.5) said Robert F. Douglas, a former police officer in Baltimore, currently head of the National Police Suicide Foundation out of Maryland (Townes, 2008). Because of the complicated relationship that police officers have with stress, it is easy to understand how they are more prone to suicidal thoughts. It is important that the research can influx change within each department and give the officers the help they need to cope with stress.
Corzine indicated “job-related stress, pressure and frequent encounters with the grim and melancholic sides of people and society contribute to the angst and despair law enforcement must contend with on a daily basis” (Townes, 2008, para.6). The amount of stress law enforcement has, due to the trauma they witness, can contribute to emotional issues. Furthermore, Corzine noted that there is a debt to officers to give them “all the necessary tools to deal with every danger they might encounter-physical or otherwise” (Townes, 2008, para.7). Officers do so much for their community; we owe it to them to take care of them. Society needs to take care of the officers, so they stay strong and are at the ready for whatever they might encounter on their daily job. Corzine wants the task force to develop a strategy to help officers cope with stress along with other mental health issues such as depression (Townes, 2008). A task force is a great start for implementing a plan without haste or the loss of any more officers.
Also in 2008, Tanigoshi found that wellness counseling could be beneficial to law enforcement officers in need (Tanigoshi, 2008). Law enforcement officers deal with dangerous situations that impact their mental well-being, which can exacerbate problems such as depression, anxiety, posttraumatic symptoms, divorce, drug use and other issues (Tanigoshi, 2008). It would be imperative that properly trained counselors be accessible to those in need. Counselors can provide “cognitive therapy, education, social skills training, relaxation and stress management training, behavioral change techniques, and self-care lifestyle habits” (Tanigoshi, 2008, p.66). Counselors need training in law enforcement issues, so they can treat them successfully.
He/she also found for counseling to be effective, counselors need to understand that the goal is to teach the officers how to manage healthy lives, especially when counseling police officers because of the enormous amount of stress in police work that leads to unhealthy lifestyles (Tanigoshi, 2008). Counselors will need training for this endeavor. Counselors not trained about the plight of what happens to law enforcement officers who have been in dangerous situations would likely not be as effective. It would be beneficial to have counselors who have worked with law enforcement and have an “understanding of the struggles, challenges, and needs in police work” (Tanigoshi, 2008, p. 72). Successful counseling dealing with law enforcement issues could save lives. Ramos (2010) study showed police officers witness horrors when they are performing their daily duties, take on stress from their department, and whatever problems they may be having at home; suicide occurs when they are unable to cope (Ramos, 2010). The counselors need to assist police in the debriefing process after a crisis. According to Ramos (2010) “stress can cause us to become prone to depression, alcoholism, anxiety disorders, and burnout that, in turn, may increase our risk for committing suicide” (Ramos, 2010, p. 22). Anything and everything should be done that might possibly decrease the numbers of law enforcement officer suicides. Law enforcement agencies need to look for the red flags of suicide and care for the officers before these deaths occur.
A more recent study on officer suicide revealed that “suicide among those serving in law enforcement happens about every 17 hours, and the rate among firefighters is sharply increasing," (Parker, 2013, para.2) says Robert Michaels, CEO/Chaplain of Serve & Protect, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Support Organization. Robert Michaels counsels officers that are dealing with PTSD and those who may be at an increased risk for suicide. The most prominent reason behind the suicides appear to be stress from their job. In 2012, 126 police officers committed suicide (Parker, 2013). Michaels provides a much-needed service for those officers in need, should they reach out to him. Badge of Life, a suicide prevention program, relays law enforcement suicide statistics; police officers commit suicide more often than those employed at other jobs, excluding those employed in the military (Parker, 2013). People might assume gun violence is common for law enforcement, but suicide is just as common.
When it comes to law enforcement, the main issue is what they experience on the job. There is an emotional toll for the stress, the impact of seeing human bodies in all manner of brokenness and carnage, dealing with the criminal element constantly, the imminent danger that is increasingly present from those who commit the crimes, and personal issues, like marital stress, financial hardship, emotional numbing, and uncertainty, Michaels says. (Parker, 2013, para.8)
PTSD is common among law enforcement officers and emergency responder suicides. Approximately 85% of those that work in emergency response experience symptoms of PTSD (Parker, 2013). In order for officers to deal with the amount of trauma experienced daily, there is a necessary, emotional disconnect. People could understand having to disconnect after witnessing so much on-the-job violence. This is a defense mechanism called the “cast iron shield” over the heart, protecting them so they can do their job” (Parker, 2013). However, it is a protection for the officers to distance feelings from this pain. This emotional numbing helps them get through the day at work can cause suicide when they leave their job to go home (Parker, 2013).
There was an exploration done to ascertain the risk and protective factors of the officers that might have thoughts of suicide (Chae & Boyle, 2013). The research indicates that there are multiple risk factors for suicide for example, “organizational stress, critical incident trauma, shift work and atypical work hours, relationship problems, and alcohol use and abuse” (Chae & Boyle, 2013, p. 91). With all those known risk factors that officers experience, it is understandable why they might experience emotional unrest at time. Accordingly, with this understanding of the risk of suicide, administrators can begin to work on programs that can recognize and stop suicide to assist officers who might be in need (Chae & Boyle, 2013). Similar to the cast iron shield is something called warrior thinking. Warrior thinking is erroneous thinking that distorts a law enforcement officer’s “critical thinking and good judgment in cases where warriors suppress or bury emotional pain, fail to apply sound cognitive thinking, acknowledge real health or wellness issues and intentionally choose to not seek help that might remedy the situation” (Malmin, 2013, p. 748). Warrior thinking could interfere with an officer’s insight of issues both at work and at home. Warrior thinking, regrettable confirms that people should be strong, and it is unbecoming to show any weaknesses. This thinking prevents them from seeking help.
Malmin (2013) performed a study to understand how to help officers dealing with stress issues. Leaders, including the FBI, that study law enforcement stress and trends affirm that spirituality can have a place in therapeutic resources for law enforcement officers (Malmin, 2013). It would be beneficial to have someone available to the officers to meet their spiritual needs. Punishment by administrators, along with lack of support from the agency, makes the emotional pain worse and damages coping abilities of the officers that were exposed to trauma, leaving them with the feelings of abandonment and betrayal (Malmin, 2013). Punishment would just increase the negative feelings and create more stress. Furthermore, the lack of support would cause feelings of isolation. Law enforcement officers need to become active in assisting other officers in comprehending how important it is to prevent suicide, yet the question arises about “who is taking care of them” (Ramos, 2010, p. 22). It may take all the energy they have to care for the other officers in need, which does not leave any energy left to take care of themselves.
It may be conceivable to lessen officer deaths by increasing wellness programs. There is little information regarding the availability and specific components of wellness programs for law enforcement agencies even though agencies routinely evaluate them. According to the authors Mumford, Taylor and Kubu (2014), law enforcement wellness programs need to include supportive services: “alcohol abuse treatment, whole life wellness training, and mental health services” (Mumford et al., 2014, p. 15); but the authors opined these services should be offered to the families of officers (Mumford, et al., 2014). Treating the family as well as the officer can be highly beneficial. Providing services to the entire family may be something agencies should offer all of their officers. Counselors could focus on the individual needs but treat the entire family.
Theory
Modern criminology theories tend to believe that economic deprivation is the reason for various crimes and trends. “Economic deprivation and deterrence theories are relevant for understanding trends in police murder” (Batton, 2006, p. 79). During difficult economic times, there has been a correlation between more crime and violence. Not having money to support one’s home and family can lead to feelings of stress or frustration, especially if one is struggling to pay his personal bills (Batton, 2006, p. 81). Economic deprivation can entice someone, who is desperate to make ends meet, to be involved in criminal behavior. “Poor economic conditions are likely to result in higher levels of violence against the police as they contribute to higher levels of crime and violence in general” (Batton, 2006, p. 81). When people are unable to make ends meet at home financially, it can lead to increased crime and violence; therefore, if there is an increase in crime and violence in the neighborhood, that would include an increase in crime and violence towards law enforcement officers.
Furthermore, when considering “social disorganization and control theories” (Batton, 2006, p. 81), one should also consider the importance of economic deprivation as it is an important part of strain. One theory appears to increase risk of another theory. When one has a strong relationship, one can better control his behavior, but when there is not any social bonds or the attachment to another, the mechanisms to control behavior is broken and people get involved in more crime (Batton, 2006). Once the behavior control is out of control, increased crime follows. This tends to “occur during periods of rapid social change, which tend to result in social disorganization and diminished cohesion and solidarity” (Batton, 2006, p. 81). The correlation to police murders is that law enforcement officer homicides increase during times of social disorganization (Batton, 2006). Understandably, the two theories tend to fall together as social unrest could create control issues.
Batton finds that there is partial support for the deterrence theory as more criminals incarcerated accounts for fewer police murders, and police murder rates connected to executions but in specific times (Batton, 2006). It is understandable if criminals are in prison they are not shooting police officers. There was a positive correlation linking law enforcement officer homicide to “economic deprivation and inequality” (Batton, 2006, p. 92). When people are financially strained, negative emotions may arise. More than likely, bad economic times increase feelings “of anger, stress and frustration, which in turn translates into higher levels of violence and aggression” (Batton, 2006, p. 92). When people are absent of necessary means, to sustain himself and experiencing added levels of aggression due to his financial situation, he acts out towards the uniform that represents the system, which would be law enforcement (Batton, 2006). Feelings of frustration, without anyone to blame, seem to lead to anger leveled at the system, hence the reason economic deprivation can lead to an increase in violence towards law enforcement or officer homicide.
Research examined whether the strain theory was a result of exposure to violence. Trauma can have an effect on a law enforcement officer (Bishopp, 2014). Violence and trauma is an everyday part of a law enforcement officer’s job, but it imperative to ensure the officer has adaptive coping skills. The research was indicative that it had profound effect on the officer (Bishopp, 2014). It no longer is a question about the impact of the job, but meeting the officer’s needs should be on the agenda. The findings of the study clarify that there are similarities and differences when comparing the male officers to the female officers concerning stress from their job (Bishopp, 2014). Males and females coped differently in many aspects of life, so it is understandable that they cope differently with the stress of the job.
The study showed “the salience of GST in examining deviant police behavior” (Bishopp, 2014, p. 544). It was indicative that GST is an explanation for suicide ideation for law enforcement officers. When considering police as a totality, strain intensified the maladaptive thinking up to 99 percent even for those that did have risk factors (Bishopp, 2014). There were limitations of the research regardless. The overall message was that gender does play a role when “considering the mechanisms and variables that impact suicide and strain” (Bishopp, 2014, p. 546). It is a mistake made by many when investigating police behavior that they only look at the uniform and do not look at the entity of the whole person and characteristics that the officer has beneath his uniform. They put all officers into one big group and ignore the differences among the group (Bishopp, 2014). All officers, whether male or female, react in their own way to strain. It is imperative that agencies acknowledge these differences, so it does not negate the proper avenues of treatment.
Case
State vs. Brian George Fitch Case #19HA-CR-14-26
On July 30, 2014, Brian George Fitch caused the death of a law enforcement officer, Officer Scott Patrick of the Mendota Heights Police Department, while he was on duty. The Stearns County, Minnesota jury convicted him of murdering Officer Scott Patrick, which means he will spend all of his life behind bars in prison (Eccher, 2015a). It took the jury nine hours of deliberating before rendering their decision that also included convictions of three separate counts of “attempted murder of three other officers and a bevy of lesser charges” (Eccher, 2015a, para.2). Nine hours of deliberations is confirmation they went dutifully over the evidence to make sure they got the correct verdict.
Officer Patrick had been on the police force of Mendota Heights for 19 years and had two children (Eccher, 2015a). His murder occurred during a typical traffic stop after he pulled over a Pontiac Grand Am driven by Fitch (Eccher, 2015a). Fitch had some outstanding arrest warrants and had a reputation for dealing drugs (Eccher, 2015a). When Officer Patrick approached the driver’s side window, Fitch shot him three times, and he died immediately (Eccher, 2015a). Fitch took off, and a manhunt followed, which ended after officers found Fitch in St. Paul. Fitch shot at the officers when they attempted to arrest him, which was the reason for the additional counts of attempted murder (Eccher, 2015a). Evidence found with Fitch were the automatic weapon that matched the ammunition that killed Officer Patrick and shell casings in his Grand Am (Eccher, 2015a). Finding the gun, with the bullets that were a forensic match to the bullets used in the assault and killing of Officer Patrick, was solid evidence for the case to get a conviction.
Defense attorneys said the timeline was not right, eyewitness did not identify Fitch as the shooter, and the gun evidence could not be relied upon scientifically (Eccher, 2015a). The jury heard all the evidence but weighed the evidence and decided to convict. The defense made a plea for the jury to consider the lesser charges. Nevertheless, Fitch was convicted on those counts: “three counts of assault and one of discharging a firearm” (Eccher, 2015a, para.16). The most important crime and the one that holds the highest penalty is the murder charge, so the court dropped the lesser charges. After the jury rendered their verdict, they were polled and affirmed votes of guilt (Eccher, 2015a). The vote was unanimous and the defendant found guilty. Fitch went into a profanity-laden tirade with the announcement of the verdict. Brian Fitch Sr., 40, will spend the rest of his life in prison with no possibility of release. He got an additional 54 years for the attempted murders of the three other officers (Eccher, 2015b). Law mandates the life sentence after a first-degree murder conviction. Finally, there was justice for Officer Patrick and his family.
Position & Plan
There can be ways to reduce the number of law enforcement officers killed while on duty by getting the firearms away from thugs and criminals. I do not believe banning guns will accomplish this mission. The first plan of action would be to change the sentencing for crimes committed with a firearm. Criminals that use firearms in the commission of a crime should receive a mandatory sentence. I believe serving time in prison can be deterrent. I think this plan would provide better gun control, and better gun control means fewer guns in the hands of thugs. This will keep law enforcement officers more safe.
The second part of the plan would be to have better crisis strategies and backup plans when law enforcement officers head into a dangerous situation. More often than not, the first officer to arrive at a dangerous scene is the one shot. Improving crisis strategies so officers do not arrive at certain situations alone will improve their odds of coming home alive that day. This starts with putting together a crisis response team by first picking a team leader, the senior officer. The team leader would be in charge of organizing the response team, selecting members and laying out specific training. I think improving crisis response will have a better opportunity to keep law enforcement officers safe. An additional part of my crisis plan would be improved reconnaissance of a crisis area. Reconnaissance is a task to obtain information by observing or using other detection methods to gain information about the crisis scene and offenders. Reconnaissance can simply be surveillance of criminal activity prior to making an arrest.
Last, I think law enforcement agencies can provide their officers improved body armor. Improvements in body armor would increase compliance in addition to safety. If the armor is more comfortable to wear, the officers will more likely wear it. They should have the top-of-the-line equipment and tools to protect them. In addition, they need to make body armor mandatory and discipline the officers who choose to ignore this rule. Officers should have the implements and resources needed to be safe while keeping their communities safe.
I believe there are ways to diminish the number of law enforcement officers that commit suicide. The first plan of action would be to take Tanigoshi’s study (Tanigoshi, 2008) and implement it into law enforcement agency programs. In order to have effective counselors, it would be imperative to train counselors regarding the dangers and trauma officers endure on their daily job details. Specifically trained counselors are mandatory for success. The agencies have to have the counselors available to prevent suicides, starting by giving their officers coping skills, especially after witnessing trauma or crisis.
The second part of the plan would be to train supervisors to look for the red flags or signs that an officer may be in need of assistance. Trained supervisors would know the signs of depression or increased alcohol use and anger control issues that an officer might be going through after witnessing a traumatic scene or situation. In addition, it is necessary to provide proper debriefing after any traumatic event.
Last, it would be prudent for all law enforcement agencies to offer stress management counseling and PTSD treatment to all officers in the agency and to their families. Stress management counseling should include learning how to manage stress that might result after being in a crisis, which can prevent the situation from being a longer lasting problem. Once an officer has a PTSD diagnosis, treatment should be readily available.
Alternate Position Many alternate positions exist, one being to change the Second Amendment. John Paul Stevens, who used to serve on the United States Supreme Court, orated on how we need to change the Second Amendment. Stevens believes there are good reasons why the Second Amendment needs to be altered (Barrett, 2014). His position is in hopes of regulating “the sale and ownership of firearms” (Barrett, 2014, para.1). The amendment has different meanings for different people. Stevens opined, federal judges uniformly understood that the right protected by the text was limited in two ways: first, it applied only to keeping and bearing arms for military purposes, and second, while it limited the power of the federal government, it did not impose any limit whatsoever on the power of states or local governments to regulate the ownership or use of firearms. (Barrett, 2014, para.1) Stevens references a remark made by Warren Burger. Burger made the comment during an interview regarding the amendment. Burger opined, “It has been the subject of one of the greatest pieces of fraud-I repeat, fraud-on the American public by special interest groups that I have seen in my lifetime” (Barrett, 2014, para.2). This is a strong opinion but times change. In 2008, District of Columbia v. Heller, a ruling written by Justice Antonin Scalia, affirmed that a person could keep a handgun at home to protect himself or herself (Barrett, 2014). The interpretations of the constitution have since changed, and Stevens lost when the Supreme Court ruled that the “Second Amendment protects a civilian’s right to keep a handgun in his home for self-defense” (Barrett, 2014, para.3). The ruling later was extended to include state and local governments as well as citizens (Barrett, 2014). Stevens dissented but he did not win, and those that disagreed with him struck down laws that would not allow citizens to have firearms in their homes (Barrett, 2014). The final decisions have yet to be made, and it may take years before there is a decision regarding “whether gun rights advocates will succeed” (Barrett, 2014, para.4) when it comes to overruling and banning firearms (Barrett, 2014). Steven says about the case, Heller did not by its own terms preclude federal, state, or local governments from restricting ownership of the sort of large-capacity weapons used in mass shootings in Connecticut, Virginia, Colorado, and Arizona in recent years. That Congress failed to act is a function of elective politics and lobbying, not constitutional law. (Barrett, 2014, para.5) Moreover, Stevens feels that the decision about the case has the ability to shift the power to establish whether gun laws are valid from the politicians we elect to life-long federal judges (Barrett, 2014). Stevens holds steadfast to the belief that the Second Amendment was written with the main concern about the “threat that a national standing army posed to the sovereignty of the states-as opposed to homeowners’ anxiety about violent felons” (Barrett, 2014, para.6). Stevens agrees that the way to repair this is to amend the Second Amendment, and he believes to accomplish this five words need to be added: “when serving in the militia” (Barrett, 2014, para.6). Many Americans believe that owning a firearm represents their independence and attach values to owning a gun, and amending the Constitution would be not be representation of “we the people” (Barrett, 2014, para.8). These Americans hold fast to their Second Amendment right and do not wish to relinquish their firearms, but maybe the time has come to amend the Second Amendment.

Critical Reflection Crime can substantially increase costs to an individual and to a society. One of the first cost to examine are the local, state and federal funds spent for legal adjudication services and corrections costs including incarceration. There are costs connected to the criminal justice system for each trial or appeal a defendant may be given. The majority of homicide defendants qualify for a declaration of indigence and given a public defender. Public defenders are lawyers that are available for defendants that cannot afford one, and the public funds them. Most defendants of homicide face incarceration for life without parole with the exception of the states that have the death penalty. Life without parole costs the state less than an execution because of all the appeals afforded to a defendant on death row. There is also the cost of productivity when an officer dies. This is a cost to each department or agency after an officer’s death with the department experiencing one fewer officer. Criminals that use firearms in the commission of a crime should receive a mandatory sentence. A mandatory harsh sentence would be a deterrent and keep the career criminal off the street. Mandatory sentences should be for each state across the board, and changing sentencing may affect each state with additional costs. Improved crisis strategies is another part of the plan that would cost each state to provide training, but better improved crisis response will save lives. When considering additional cost the reconnaissance plan will have costs associated if new surveillance equipment is necessary. One of the costs relates to the crime itself. Furthermore, my plan is to provide the highest quality equipment for each officer. Having improved protection such as new body armor and reflective vests will increase costs for each department. These costs would be afforded to each state in which the department resides. Law enforcement suicide, much like any homicide, is an enormous cost and emotional impact on family, friends, co-workers, and supervisors. There is the loss of productivity after an agency experiences the death of an officer. The majority of the cost of officer suicide is the intervention and prevention programs that need implementing to reduce the number of officers dying. The first cost would be pre-employment screening of any officers applying for a job, which would look for anyone that might be a high risk. The next cost would be the education and training of officers and their families regarding PTSD, depression and suicide. There will be cost in training supervisors on how to teach their officers about stress management. There should be resources available for the officers to seek support, such as hot lines and mental health counseling. These services should be available to the officer’s family as well. There will be costs associated with mandatory debriefing after all high stress incidents. Conclusion
In conclusion, there has been an upsurge in deaths of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty and committing suicide. Something has to happen to stop the exorbitant number of officers dying. The literature explains the risk of police work and related murders and assaults of officers while they are on duty. Officers dying while on duty have increased as well as officers dying by their own hand. The literature provided corroborates that there is a growing problem with the death of law enforcement officers in our country due to homicide and suicide.
People could surmise that the daily trauma law enforcement officers encounter could cause mental health issues and potentially lead to depression and/or suicide. The literature illustrates various risk factors for law enforcement suicide including the stress of the job, witness to trauma, shift work and abnormal hours, problems at home, and alcohol abuse. It would be prudent to give immediate attention regarding the shocking increase in suicide of law enforcement officers. Gun control will not solve officer homicide or suicide. Rather, implementing my plans will have enhanced success. Agencies need to put safety as their number one priority. Additionally, agencies need to take the responsibility of being there for the agents who might be suffering. It is time to start the dialogue to recognize why this is happening and what needs to transpire to change this trend. All of these dynamics create a precarious environment for officers. However, there is a solution, and it can be accomplished by implementing my report strategies set out to save lives.

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