I don't work for idiots. However...I was in the military and can tell you that's bullshit. Combat yes, but most are not in combat.
I just said I was in the military so I speak from experience. You are stupid enough to believe anything that fits your ideology. Don't try to make me the one with the problem.
Military service can have positive as well as negative consequences (1,2) and both short-term and long-term effects.(3,4) The psychosocial stress experienced by veterans with a history of active combat has both psychological and physical components.(3,5) Approximately 65% of American men over the age of 55 served in World War II or the Korean conflict and about 25% of older American men were exposed to combat early in their lives. (3,6) Yet the long-term effects of associated exposures are so little studied that they are considered a “hidden variable” in the aging of older American men. (2,3) Studies report higher rates of adverse behaviors, (7) psychological conditions (8) and self-reported health conditions (9,10) among those with combat exposure. However, studies of the long-term cardiovascular consequences of combat stress are limited, and inconclusive. (3,11) We report on the association between exposure to military combat and coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic stroke (IS) in a community-based sample of men serving during the eras of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict.
There is no excuse for going in the service with less hardware than a police officer. You cannot say they don't serve society. YOu are condemning an entire profession that puts their life on the line everyday as you once did. Who would you call of there was an intruder in your home. YOu know you would call 911 if you needed their service.The stress is being vulnerable just sitting in your car and being executed or being shot when you are trying to be helpful to a citizen. Would you want to be a police officer at this time?Bein' a cop can make ya sick...
Study: Stress Can Leave Police Officers More Vulnerable to Disease
February 7, 2017 - A study of more than 300 Buffalo police officers suggests that the high-stress environment can leave the officers more vulnerable to disease.
For most people, cortisol, the vital hormone that controls stress, increases when they wake up. It’s the body’s way of preparing us for the day. But in police officers who’ve experienced intense stress on the job, cortisol functions much differently, according to recent research from the University at Buffalo and funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
John Violanti, PhD -- who served with the New York State Police for 23 years and is now a research professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions -- says a study of more than 300 members of the Buffalo Police Department suggests that the high-stress working environment can leave officers vulnerable to disease.
A study of more than 300 members of the Buffalo Police Department suggests that police events or conditions considered highly stressful by the officers may be associated with disturbances of the normal awakening cortisol pattern. That can leave the officers vulnerable to disease, particularly cardiovascular disease, which already affects a large number of officers. “We wanted to look at what stressors most affect police officers in their work and what affect that has in the dysregulation of this awakening cortisol pattern,” said John Violanti, PhD, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health in UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions.“Past studies haven’t really looked at the intensity of the stressor and how it affected this cortisol pattern. Here we looked at actual intensity,” adds Violanti, lead author on the paper, published in the January issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. The study included 338 Buffalo officers who were enrolled in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study, a long-term study Violanti began in 1999.
What stresses officers the most?
For this study, participating officers assessed a variety of on-the-job stressors using a questionnaire that asks officers to rate 60 police-related events with a “stress rating.” Events perceived as very stressful are assigned a higher rating. Exposure to battered or dead children ranked as the most stressful event, followed by: killing someone in the line of duty; having a fellow officer killed on duty; a situation requiring the use of force; and being physically attacked.
Identifying the five most intense stressors police can face was significant, Violanti said. “When we talk about interventions to help prevent disease, it’s tricky because these stressors are things that can’t be prevented,” he said. “That’s why the availability of peer support programs within police departments is important. ”The survey showed that the officers experienced one of the five major stressors, on average, 2.4 times during the month before the survey was completed.
Stressed officers see blunted cortisol pattern
It must be stressful trying to remember what lies you told when.
That threat exists for every single person in the nation. There were more than 15,000 murders committed in the US. Of those 135 were cops. That means after we subtract the cops more than 15,000 civilians were murdered.
The Murderers generally speaking target the cops second, after us. The Rapists don't target cops. But let's stay with murderers.
When one of us is murdered is there an all hands on deck manhunt for the baddie? Nope. The cops pull out all the stops when one of their fellow gang members is killed however.
Murderers get out of prison every week. Only if they killed a cop is it a newsworthy event.
Convicted Cop Killer Released From Prison In Indiana
I was a soldier and went to war with less hardware than the police have. Fear isn't why I eschewed the police as a vocation. I won't join any criminal gang. Be they motorcycle gangs or mafia or badge wearing.
They don't protect us. They don't serve society. If they did I'd have a lot more respect for them than I do.
There is no excuse for going in the service with less hardware than a police officer. You cannot say they don't serve society. YOu are condemning an entire profession that puts their life on the line everyday as you once did. Who would you call of there was an intruder in your home. YOu know you would call 911 if you needed their service.The stress is being vulnerable just sitting in your car and being executed or being shot when you are trying to be helpful to a citizen. Would you want to be a police officer at this time?Bein' a cop can make ya sick...
Study: Stress Can Leave Police Officers More Vulnerable to Disease
February 7, 2017 - A study of more than 300 Buffalo police officers suggests that the high-stress environment can leave the officers more vulnerable to disease.
For most people, cortisol, the vital hormone that controls stress, increases when they wake up. It’s the body’s way of preparing us for the day. But in police officers who’ve experienced intense stress on the job, cortisol functions much differently, according to recent research from the University at Buffalo and funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
John Violanti, PhD -- who served with the New York State Police for 23 years and is now a research professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions -- says a study of more than 300 members of the Buffalo Police Department suggests that the high-stress working environment can leave officers vulnerable to disease.
A study of more than 300 members of the Buffalo Police Department suggests that police events or conditions considered highly stressful by the officers may be associated with disturbances of the normal awakening cortisol pattern. That can leave the officers vulnerable to disease, particularly cardiovascular disease, which already affects a large number of officers. “We wanted to look at what stressors most affect police officers in their work and what affect that has in the dysregulation of this awakening cortisol pattern,” said John Violanti, PhD, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health in UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions.“Past studies haven’t really looked at the intensity of the stressor and how it affected this cortisol pattern. Here we looked at actual intensity,” adds Violanti, lead author on the paper, published in the January issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. The study included 338 Buffalo officers who were enrolled in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study, a long-term study Violanti began in 1999.
What stresses officers the most?
For this study, participating officers assessed a variety of on-the-job stressors using a questionnaire that asks officers to rate 60 police-related events with a “stress rating.” Events perceived as very stressful are assigned a higher rating. Exposure to battered or dead children ranked as the most stressful event, followed by: killing someone in the line of duty; having a fellow officer killed on duty; a situation requiring the use of force; and being physically attacked.
Identifying the five most intense stressors police can face was significant, Violanti said. “When we talk about interventions to help prevent disease, it’s tricky because these stressors are things that can’t be prevented,” he said. “That’s why the availability of peer support programs within police departments is important. ”The survey showed that the officers experienced one of the five major stressors, on average, 2.4 times during the month before the survey was completed.
Stressed officers see blunted cortisol pattern
It must be stressful trying to remember what lies you told when.
That threat exists for every single person in the nation. There were more than 15,000 murders committed in the US. Of those 135 were cops. That means after we subtract the cops more than 15,000 civilians were murdered.
The Murderers generally speaking target the cops second, after us. The Rapists don't target cops. But let's stay with murderers.
When one of us is murdered is there an all hands on deck manhunt for the baddie? Nope. The cops pull out all the stops when one of their fellow gang members is killed however.
Murderers get out of prison every week. Only if they killed a cop is it a newsworthy event.
Convicted Cop Killer Released From Prison In Indiana
I was a soldier and went to war with less hardware than the police have. Fear isn't why I eschewed the police as a vocation. I won't join any criminal gang. Be they motorcycle gangs or mafia or badge wearing.
They don't protect us. They don't serve society. If they did I'd have a lot more respect for them than I do.
You have no clue.
A Lompoc, California police officer died after an apparent suicide early Tuesday morning. Officer Miguel Grijalva was off duty and outside of the city limits when he died, according to The Lompoc Record.
The investigation into the death of the 3-year veteran of the force is being handled by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. "The Lompoc Police Department asks the community to keep Miguel and his family in your thoughts and prayers," City Spokeswoman Samantha Scroggin said in a statement. "Our Lompoc Police Department employees are devastated by this news and are grieving, as well." The city plans to provide counseling for police department staff.
California Police Officer Takes His Own Life | Officer.com
California Police Officer died after an apparent suicide...
California Police Officer Takes His Own Life
March 8, 2017 - Lompoc Police Officer Miguel Grijalva died after an apparent suicide early Tuesday morning.
A Lompoc, California police officer died after an apparent suicide early Tuesday morning. Officer Miguel Grijalva was off duty and outside of the city limits when he died, according to The Lompoc Record.
The investigation into the death of the 3-year veteran of the force is being handled by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. "The Lompoc Police Department asks the community to keep Miguel and his family in your thoughts and prayers," City Spokeswoman Samantha Scroggin said in a statement. "Our Lompoc Police Department employees are devastated by this news and are grieving, as well." The city plans to provide counseling for police department staff.
California Police Officer Takes His Own Life | Officer.com
The man found dead Friday morning at a west Houston police patrol station was a sergeant in the department. The 21-year Houston Police Department veteran apparently killed himself with a single gunshot to the head, Chief Art Acevedo said. The sergeant was married and had two children, ages 10 and 12. The sergeant was found around 8:35 a.m. inside of a stairwell on the fourth floor at the Westside Patrol Station, where he worked, at 3203 South Dairy Ashford, Acevedo said. The fourth floor is not currently in use, so no one heard the gunshot.
Officers working in the station decided to search the facility after they discovered at 7 a.m. the sergeant had not come to work. "You can't explain these things," Acevedo said. "We ask that people please just pray for the family, pray for those young children." Police have not yet released the sergeant's name, and the investigation continues. HPD psychological services and chaplain services were on site at the Westside Patrol Station on Friday morning. More law enforcement officers die each year by suicide than in the line of duty, according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo addresses the media during a press conference Friday following the dead of a sergeant at the Westside Police Station.
Risk factors for officers include "exposure to violence, suicide, or other job-related stressors; depression, anxiety, or other mental illness; substance abuse; domestic abuse; access to means to killoneself (e.g., firearms); and poor physical health," according to research cited by the U.S. Department of Justice. An expert who studies police suicide, John Volanti, found that officers actually have a slightly lower suicide rate than the general public (12 per 100,000 versus 13 per 100,000). He calculated that police have are 8 times more likely to die by suicide than homicide and 3 times more likely to die by suicide than by accidents. About 100-150 officers die by suicide each year, Volanti found.
The FBI cited Volanti's work in describing the profile of officers most at risk for suicide: "91 percent were male, 63 percent were single, and those between the ages of 40 and 44 with 15 to 19 years of service were most at risk. This profile represents a significant percentage of those currently employed by law enforcement agencies. Some of these officers are experiencing mid-career burnout and malaise, but have too many years invested to change careers and are years away from retirement eligibility." The most recent known suicide by a Houston Police Department officer came in August 2014 when 21-year veteran Rudolph Farias III, under investigation in a ticket-rigging scam, fatally shot himself in a patrol car in a downtown police parking garage.
Houston Police Sergeant Kills Self at Station | Officer.com
A police sergeant was punched by a belligerent man he was trying to help, after finding him in the middle of a busy street on Wednesday night, authorities said. Richmond police Sgt. D. Nelson suffered a broken nose when he was punched by the man, who had been laying in the 700 block of 23rd Street at about 10:15 p.m., according to police. Nelson also suffered other cuts but will be OK, police said.
Richmond Police Sgt. D. Nelson was punched by a belligerent man he was trying to help, after finding him in the middle of a busy street on Wednesday night.
The man he was trying to help was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. According to police, Nelson saw the man in the middle of the street, which is typically a busy one and has four lanes of traffic. Nelson made a U-turn in his patrol car to block off a section of 23rd street after several cars swerved to avoid the man, police said.
Nelson then tried to help the man across the lanes of traffic and onto a sidewalk. Once there, police said, he asked the man his address, only to see him become agitated. Police say the man then threw a punch without warning, and the two started to struggle. Nelson subdued the suspect eventually and got him into handcuffs. Nobody else was injured.
California Officer Attacked by Man He Tried to Help | Officer.com
The death of Rolesville's police chief has been ruled a suicide, Wake Forest police said Thursday. Bobby Langston II, 45, was found dead in his home around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a news release. A woman who called 911 said her husband had shot himself in a bedroom and that he "left a note," without disclosing what it said. The caller said her daughter was also at the home. Rolesville police asked the Wake Forest department to investigate because of "the tragic nature of this loss and severe emotional impact on all members of the Rolesville Police Department," the release said.
Langston served in law enforcement for more than 20 years, starting his career in Wendell where he grew up. After he was sworn in as an officer with the Wendell Police Department in 1994, he rose through the ranks and became a captain. He joined Rolesville police in 2013 and became chief in 2015. The town, located about 15 miles northeast of downtown Raleigh, has seen major growth that put more demands on the small-town police department. With a population of roughly 6,000, Rolesville is a popular bedroom community for families looking for a suburban setting. Langston oversaw two cases that shocked the community and catapulted the town into the news.
Police Chief Bobby Langston II
In December 2015, police determined that Kristy Bryan started a fire at her Rolesville home that killed her and her 3-year-old son, Tyler. Tyler's twin was injured in the blaze, which was ruled a murder-suicide. Two months ago, a video was posted on Twitter showing a police officer slamming a Rolesville High School student to the floor. Ruben De Los Santos, who was working as a school resource officer for the Rolesville Police Department, was placed on administrative leave and later resigned. Flags in Rolesville were lowered to half-staff Thursday to honor Langston, and town hall is closed for the rest of the week.
In a news release from the town, officials said Langston was "admired and respected" in the community. "He stood for character and ethics and ran the Department likewise," it said. "He will truly be missed." "I'm at a loss for words," Town Manager Bryan Hicks said Thursday. "Not only has the community lost our chief of police, I've lost my friend." The town has set up the Langston Family Trust Account with the State Employees' Credit Union to accept donations. Money will help with funeral costs and education expenses for Langston's children, according to the town. Wendell Town Manager Teresa Piner said Langston was a dedicated employee during his time with the town.
MORE
In 2006, one of the officers who was a member of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (MASS C.O.P.) died by suicide. He was afraid to seek help because he didn’t want to lose his badge. With over 700 police officers present at the President’s Dinner on Friday, March 31, the MASS C.O.P. President Scott Hovsepian announced that his union, which represents nearly 4,300 police officers in Massachusetts, would be instituting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s anonymous online screening tool, the Interactive Screening Program, a Self-Check Quiz to reach distressed police officers and help connect them to peer support officers and mental health services before a crisis emerges. “If this can save one life, it is money, time, and energy well spent. You can’t put a price on a life. If we had had this program in place, we might not have lost our collegue to suicide in 2006,” said Scott Hovsepian, a 23 year police officer for the city of Waltham, MA, and president of MASS C.O.P. “I want police officers nationwide to know that there are tools like the Self-Check Quiz that can help them through the hard times. We are starting with police officers in the Bay State.”
The Massachusetts Coalition of Police is instituting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s anonymous online screening tool to reach distressed police officers.
Brian Fleming, the owner and operator of Peer Support Services, LLC., held a four-hour training session in early 2017 for some of Massachusetts’ police officers about mental health education, alcohol and drug abuse, and how to prevent suicide among their colleagues. After the session, he was approached by Hovsepian about doing more. Luckily, years ago Fleming had helped arrange for another Massachusetts police department to contract with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Interactive Screening Program and so he arranged an introduction for the officers from MASS C.O.P. to meet with staff from AFSP to talk about how the foundation could help the union from losing its members to suicide. “We are honored to be partnering with MASS C.O.P. to offer the Self-Check Quiz to its members. Police officers are accustomed to servicing others, and this is a way for them to ensure they stay healthy and strong,” said Dr. Christine Moutier, AFSP chief medical officer. “Seeking help for your mental health is the brave thing to do.”
The Self-Check Quiz is an online tool offered by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and used by institutions of higher education, workplaces, law enforcement agencies, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to reach distressed people and help connect them to mental health services before a crisis emerges. It is also known as the Interactive Screening Program. The program expansion to MASS C.O.P. has been made possible by a generous grant from the law firm of Sandulli and Grace. Those who are interested in bringing the Self-Check Quiz to their precinct can learn more here: Interactive Screening Program — AFSP.
About ISP
In 2006, one of the officers who was a member of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (MASS C.O.P.) died by suicide. He was afraid to seek help because he didn’t want to lose his badge. With over 700 police officers present at the President’s Dinner on Friday, March 31, the MASS C.O.P. President Scott Hovsepian announced that his union, which represents nearly 4,300 police officers in Massachusetts, would be instituting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s anonymous online screening tool, the Interactive Screening Program, a Self-Check Quiz to reach distressed police officers and help connect them to peer support officers and mental health services before a crisis emerges. “If this can save one life, it is money, time, and energy well spent. You can’t put a price on a life. If we had had this program in place, we might not have lost our collegue to suicide in 2006,” said Scott Hovsepian, a 23 year police officer for the city of Waltham, MA, and president of MASS C.O.P. “I want police officers nationwide to know that there are tools like the Self-Check Quiz that can help them through the hard times. We are starting with police officers in the Bay State.”
The Massachusetts Coalition of Police is instituting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s anonymous online screening tool to reach distressed police officers.
Brian Fleming, the owner and operator of Peer Support Services, LLC., held a four-hour training session in early 2017 for some of Massachusetts’ police officers about mental health education, alcohol and drug abuse, and how to prevent suicide among their colleagues. After the session, he was approached by Hovsepian about doing more. Luckily, years ago Fleming had helped arrange for another Massachusetts police department to contract with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Interactive Screening Program and so he arranged an introduction for the officers from MASS C.O.P. to meet with staff from AFSP to talk about how the foundation could help the union from losing its members to suicide. “We are honored to be partnering with MASS C.O.P. to offer the Self-Check Quiz to its members. Police officers are accustomed to servicing others, and this is a way for them to ensure they stay healthy and strong,” said Dr. Christine Moutier, AFSP chief medical officer. “Seeking help for your mental health is the brave thing to do.”
The Self-Check Quiz is an online tool offered by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and used by institutions of higher education, workplaces, law enforcement agencies, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to reach distressed people and help connect them to mental health services before a crisis emerges. It is also known as the Interactive Screening Program. The program expansion to MASS C.O.P. has been made possible by a generous grant from the law firm of Sandulli and Grace. Those who are interested in bringing the Self-Check Quiz to their precinct can learn more here: Interactive Screening Program — AFSP.
About ISP
Drugs should not be a law-enforcement concern anymore than alcoholism or obesity are. Recreational drugs are a social problem which could be substantially reduced by a well-crafted public education program, which is the way cigarette smoking was reduced by more than 75% without arresting anyone -- and nicotine is more addictive than heroin. Police activity should be focused on people who harm others, not people who harm no one but themselves.
Why is the suggestion to end the drug war funny?
Bullshit. First off law enforcements job is to enforce the laws. Individuals do not get to decide what is legal or not. It's obviously your cup of tea but a lot of drugs have been taken off the streets, you can consider that a failure but it doesn't change reality. Comparing drugs to cigarettes is stupid. Yes, tobacco is addictive but I would have no problem flying on a plane with a pilot smoking, I probably have, but wouldn't want to fly with someone doped up.
No, I'm not doped up so I don't share your world view.
