Chicago police officer dies of apparent suicide on Northwest Side
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago police officer was found dead of an apparent suicide Tuesday morning on the Northwest Side.
Police said the officer was found dead early Tuesday morning at a home in the 25th (Grand Central) District. She had been with the department for five years, most recently as a tactical officer assigned to the 1st (Central) District downtown, according to a police spokesperson
The cause of the officer's death has not yet been determined, but police said "at this time the death appears to be an apparent suicide."
"The officer's family is forever changed, and we ask that you please hold the officer's loved ones in your thoughts and prayers, as they begin to process this tragedy. Please also take a moment to pray for the officers of CPD, who are mourning this loss," a police spokesperson said in a statement.
The officer is at least the seventh to die from suicide this year. A retired officer also died of suicide in September.
It was also the second officer suicide in the past five days.
On Thursday, a 58-year-old woman with a self-inflicted gunshot wound was found in Norwood Park. CPD said that officer was technically inactive and has been on disability since 2009.
Sources told CBS 2 that officer had been fighting for disability payments and had recently been denied.
"Usually after these incidents, they have people come to roll calls or say 'Reach out,' but again that's not meeting them (officers)," said Dr. Carrie Steiner, a licensed clinical psychologist and former CPD officer.
Steiner left the department after 13 years to work as a psychologist focused on helping first responders cope with trauma.
In August, CPD Supt. David Brown announced that officers would have no more than one requested day off canceled a week, except during holidays.
He also pledged a minimum of nine hours between shifts.
Steiner said it's not going far enough to improve officer mental health.
"Most police officers that I'm talking to are stating that they still don't feel like they're getting a lot of days off," she said. "That usually, they just are working or getting off for one day, where usually they've had two days off. So they're not feeling significantly change in that."
She added officers need to have more options to go for therapy or assistance.
"It's in the daily grind, or when there is a critical incident to be checking in on those people, to do a group debrief for that, to be aware of all of the other things that officers have recently gone through," Steiner said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself, there is help available. You can call or text 988 to reach the new nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline.