Detroit’s former police chief wants more attention on mental health

DETROIT – In October, an off-duty Detroit police officer was killed after shooting two of his colleagues in the city.

Police Chief James White called it “suicide by a cop.”

The situation happened on October 14 near the Highland Park water tower.

Police said officers were responding to a 911 call from an off-duty officer when the officer opened firetwo officers were wounded. The officers returned fire and killed him.

Officers said the gunman was in full uniform. He was 45 years old and had served on the Detroit Police Department for 13 years.

Community leaders are asking what can be done to help police officers so it doesn’t happen again.

“Every police department, every police department in this country should have access to some form of mental health care for their officers,” Isaiah “Ike” McKinnon said.

MacKinnon spent a decade with the Detroit Police Department, nearly five years as the department’s chief and 20 years as a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy. He said he probably attended 70 police funerals.

“I’ve lost four officers in my tenure as chief, and it just gets more and more overwhelming every time,” McKinnon said.

Police officers are faced with unpredictable and potentially traumatic situations every day. They may encounter events ranging from bank robberies to the discovery of dead bodies, including children.

The long-term and cumulative effects on police officers who regularly experience traumatic events throughout their careers are unknown, and McKinnon expressed concern about the increased risk of suicide among officers even after retirement.

McKinnon said the officers’ friends, family and colleagues should be vigilant and watch out for them.

“And it’s hard for the officer to see that, but maybe his or her partner will see that there’s something else,” MacKinnon said. “If that person isn’t talking, if they’re drinking, if they start doing something unusual that they haven’t done before, if there’s a possibility that the officer is going to act in some violent way. All of these are potential opportunities that should be considered by anyone, especially that officer’s partner or supervisor.”

Law enforcement officers die by suicide more often than in the line of duty. According to a 2018 report, more than 1,200 took their own lives during the seven years studied — more than 180 per year.

Detroit Chief White, who has a degree in counseling, was recognized by McKinnon for his proactive efforts to address mental health issues. White created a special mental health unit within the Detroit Police Department to increase the department’s focus on mental health.

Since then, white has been called the new president and CEO of Michigan’s largest community mental health organizationDetroit Wayne Integrated Health Care Network. Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison has been named interim police chief following White’s decision to leave his new position.