WE LOOK AT HOW THE NYPD IS HANDLING THIS CRISIS.
♪
♪ >> I BEGGED THEM.
I DROVE THERE.
I WROTE TO THEM.
I LITERALLY WAS HYSTERICALLY
CRYING, BEGGING THEM TO GET MY
BROTHER HELP.
BROTHER HELP. AND IN THE END I GOT, I’M SORRY.
MY BROTHER WAS ROBERT RT, THE 19
NYPD TO COMMIT SUICIDE THIS
YEAR.
YEAR. >> THE SECOND LEADING NYPD
OFFICIAL HAD SHOT HIMSELF IN AS
MANY DAYS.
MANY DAYS. >> THE DEPARTMENT’S FIFTH
OFFICER TO DIE BY SUICIDE.
>> THE SEVENTH WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF JUNE.
OF JUNE. >> THE DEPARTMENT’S TENTH
SUICIDE THIS YEAR.
>> Reporter: BETWEEN THREE AND
SIX ACTIVE DUTY NYPD OFFICERS
HAVE DIED BY SUICIDE EVERY YEAR
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
BUT IN 2019, THAT NUMBER
DOUBLED.
DOUBLED. THE RASH OF SUICIDES IN THE NYPD
HAS TORMENTED THE DEPARTMENT.
POLICE OFFICERS AROUND THE
COUNTRY ARE NOW MORE LIKELY TO
DIE BY SUICIDE THAN IN THE LINE
OF DUTY.
OF DUTY. BUT WHAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM AND,
FURTHER, WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT,
REMAINS UNANSWERED.
REMAINS UNANSWERED. >> HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A COP.
HE REALLY LOVED THAT JOB.
IN THE BEGINNING.
>> Reporter: WHEN DID YOU FIRST
START TO NOTICE A DIFFERENCE IN
YOUR BROTHER?
YOUR BROTHER? >> IN 2012 HE WAS HAVING A LOT
OF ISSUES.
OF ISSUES. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I
CONTACTED IAB.
CONTACTED IAB. >> Reporter: IAB STANDS FOR THE
INTERNAL AFFAIRS BUREAU, WHICH
EILEEN WOULD GO ON TO
COMMUNICATE WITH REGULARLY AS
HER BROTHER’S BEHAVIOR GOT
WORSE.
WORSE. >> AND THEN THIS YEAR IN MARCH
WHEN HE BROUGHT ME HIS SON TO
TAKE CARE OF, I SAW MY BROTHER
CRYING AND I WAS LIKE, BOBBY.
HE’S HE’S LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I’M
FAILING AT LIFE.
I SAID, BOBBY, WHY?
YOU’RE NOT FAILING AT LIFE.
YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT JOB.
IT’S OKAY.
IT’S OKAY. AND THEN -- SORRY.
AND THEN THINGS STARTED TO
UNRAVEL.
UNRAVEL. IN JUNE I NOTICED MY BROTHER WAS
COMPLETELY GONE.
COMPLETELY GONE. HE CALLED ME AND I COULD -- HE
SAID TO ME, I’M GOING TO KILL
MYSELF.
MYSELF. I SAID, BOBBY, NO, NO, NO, NO.
I SAID, BOBBY, PLEASE, PLEASE,
JUST TALK TO ME.
DON’T DO THIS TO OUR MOTHER.
DON’T DO IT TO ME.
MOST OF ALL, DON’T DO IT TO YOUR
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. >> Reporter: EILEEN SAYS SHE’S
REACHED OUT TO IAB AND TOLD THEM
EVERYTHING ABOUT BOBBY’S
STRUGGLES, HIS FINANCES, HIS
MARRIAGE.
MARRIAGE. SHE PUT IT ALL IN AN EMAIL.
>> ONCE THEY GOT THE EMAIL THEY
CALLED ME WITHIN TEN MINUTES.
IAB CALLED ME.
WE’RE WAITING OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. WE’LL TAKE ALL HIS GUNS.
I SAID, THANK YOU.
I WANT YOU TO GET HIM HELP.
>> Reporter: WITHIN DAYS, I GET
A CALL FROM A LIEUTENANT.
I WAS AT WORK.
I REMEMBER CRYING.
MY COWORKERS WERE LIKE, WHAT’S
THE MATTER?
THE MATTER? I SAID, THEY GAVE MY BROTHER HIS
GUNS BACK.
GUNS BACK. I SAID, HOW COULD THEY HAVE DONE
AN EVALUATION THAT QUICKLY?
WHEN I HUG UP WITH THAT
LIEUTENANT, I SAID TO HIM, WHEN
MY BROTHER KILLS HIMSELF, I HOPE
YOU’RE THERE BECAUSE THE BLOOD’S
ON YOU.
ON YOU. >> Reporter: BOBBY ECHEVARIIA
DIED BY SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT
WOUND TO THE HEAD.
HE LEFT TWO KIDS, A WIFE, A
SISTER AND MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES
EACH WITH THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE
ON WHAT A SOLUTION MIGHT BE.
I SAT DOWN WITH INSPECTOR
WALKER, HEAD OF THE NYPD’S NEW
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
SECTION.
SECTION. >> ONE SUICIDE IS HORRIFIC FOR
THIS DEPARTMENT.
THIS DEPARTMENT. IT’S A TRAGEDY AND THAT’S WHY
WE’RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH NEW
PROGRAMS TO KIND OF STEM THIS
TIDE.
TIDE. >> Reporter: THE NYPD HAS
IMPLEMENTED A SERIES OF REFORMS
IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
INCLUDING ESTABLISHING A NEW
PEER-TO-PEER COUNSELING SERVICE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PEER
SUPPORT PROGRAMS WITHIN THE
NYPD, HOW ARE THOSE DIFFERENT
FROM THE NEW SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT
IS TAKING VOLUNTEERS AND
TRAINING NYPD OFFICERS RIGHT
NOW?
NOW? >> THE NEW PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT
PROGRAM IS SIMILAR TO
NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING WHERE WE
PUT OFFICERS AND CIVILIANS IN
EACH COMMAND AND THEY’RE GOING
THROUGH A VERY EXTENSIVE
THREE-DAY COURSE WHERE WE’RE
TEACHING THEM THE WARNING SIGNS
OF DEPRESSION, SUICIDE.
>> Reporter: DINA AND MIKE ARE
BOTH OFFICERS IN THE PROGRAM.
THEY’RE ON THE FRONT LINES OF
THIS NEW EFFORT.
DAY TO DAY THEY WORK IN SEPARATE
UNITS BUT BOTH JUST COMPLETED
THREE DAYS OF TRAINING TO BECOME
PEER ADVOCATES.
PEER ADVOCATES. >> AFTER I GRADUATED THERE WAS A
GUY IN MY COMPANY WHEN I WENT TO
THE ACADEMY WITH WHO WE LOST TO
SUICIDE.
SUICIDE. IT JUST MADE ME AS A PERSON WANT
TO GET INVOLVED AND DO
SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
RASH OF SUICIDES THAT,
UNFORTUNATELY, HAPPENED OVER THE
SUMMER.
SUMMER. >> THERE IS A LOT OF STRESS THAT
IT A POLICE OFFICER GOES THROUGH
ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT IT’S
OKAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY’RE
FEELING, WHAT THEY’RE GOING
THROUGH.
THROUGH. AND THEY DON’T HAVE TO GO
THROUGH IT ALONE.
THE HARDEST PART IS GOING TO BE
TO FIGHT THE STIGMA.
I WANT THE OFFICERS TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WE’RE NOT
LOOKING TO GIVE OUT DISCIPLINARY
ACTION.
ACTION. THIS IS SOLELY TO HELP THEM AND
TO HELP THEM GET BETTER.
>> Reporter: RICHARD LEVINSON IS
A PSYCHOLOGIST WHO HAS WORKED
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR OVER 20
YEARS.
YEARS. HE SAYS THIS STIGMA COMES FROM A
FEAR OF HAVING THEIR BADGE, GUN
AND ARGUABLY, THEIR IDENTITY
TAKEN AWAY.
TAKEN AWAY. >> IN THE OLD DAYS THEY REFERRED
TO A POLICE OFFICER WHO HAD
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AS BEING A
MEMBER OF THE RUBBER GUN SQUAD.
THEY LITERALLY TOOK THEIR SHIELD
AND THEIR GUN AWAY FROM THEM AND
THEY GAVE THEM A RUBBER GUN, IN
THE EARLY DAYS.
THAT’S THE IDENTITY OF ANY
OFFICER.
OFFICER. IF SOMEONE SAYS TO YOU, I’M A
POLICE OFFICER, YOU SAY, WELL,
PROVE IT.
PROVE IT. FIRST THING THEY DO IS TAKE OUT
THEIR SHIELD, THE PUBLIC
ACKNOWLEDGES A SHIELD AS A
SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY.
>> Reporter: DO YOU THINK
OFFICERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SEEK
THAT MENTAL HEALTH HELP FROM A
COLLEAGUE, A PEER RATHER THAN
OUTSIDE HELP?
OUTSIDE HELP? >> I THINK THAT THE ANSWER TO
THAT IS YES BUT I ALSO THINK
THEY HAVE TO HAVE -- THEY HAVE
TO PROCEED WITH SOMEWHERE IN
THEIR ENVIRONMENT THAT’S
APPROACHABLE.
APPROACHABLE. >> Reporter: HOW DO YOU REASSURE
YOUR COLLEAGUES THAT THE HELP
THEY ARE GETTING IS
CONFIDENTIAL, THAT THEY CAN --
THAT THEY CAN SPEAK KNOWING THAT
IT’S NOT GOING ANYWHERE ELSE?
>> I’M NOT TELLING ANYONE.
I’M NOT TELLING THEIR PARTNER.
I’M NOT TELLING THE EXECUTIVES,
THE SERGEANT.
THE SERGEANT. IT’S STAYING BETWEEN US TWO.
>> Reporter: STILL THE PEER
SUPPORT HAS YET TO DELIVER
ANSWERS ON THE WHY.
AND YET MORE FAMILIES THAN EVER
THIS YEAR ARE LEFT BEHIND, STILL
SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS.
♪
♪ >> I’M TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM
AND SAY, LISTEN, WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING.
SOMETHING. I HAD A MEETING WITH THE NYPD.
I BURIED MY BROTHER TWO DAYS
BEFORE THAT AND THEY WERE
DOWNRIGHT NASTY TO ME.
WHEN I CALLED THEM OUT ON HOW
MANY PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO
ME, HOW MANY LETTERS I’VE GOTTEN
FROM WIVES, FROM OFFICERS STILL
ON THE JOB THAT HAVE BEGGED ME.
I SAID TO THEM, I WILL NEVER
BETRAY YOU.
BETRAY YOU. I WILL NEVER SAY YOUR NAME.
NOT YOUR FIRST NAME, NOT YOUR
LAST NAME, NOT YOUR INITIALS.
BUT THEY NEED HELP.
THEY NEED A LOT OF PROGRAMS.
A PHONE NUMBER, A PEER ADVOCATE,
NOT GOING TO WORK.
THEY TELL ME IT’S WORKING.
REALLY?
REALLY? I BURIED MY BROTHER TWO DAYS
AGO.
AGO. HOW WELL IS IT WORKING?
♪
♪ >>> THE NYPD WOULD NOT COMMENT
DIRECTLY ABOUT EILEEN’S CLAIMS.