HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text a crisis counselor by messaging the Crisis Text Line at 741741. It is free, available 24/7, and confidential.
They are the first to answer the call for help, but more and more first responders are walking away from the job.
Sadly, far too many take their own lives.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 300 police officers die by suicide every year – more are suffering from addictions and mental health challenges.
There are only a handful of rehab centers around the country where these officers can get the help they need.
Our nation's first responders are in crisis. The Department of Health reports roughly 30% are suffering from addictions, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts.
“They're emotionally, physically, spiritually bankrupt when they walk in this door,” said Ken Beyer, founder, and CEO of Harbor of Grace.
The National Law Enforcement & First Responder Wellness Center at Harbor of Grace is a 28-day inpatient rehab facility in Harford County, Maryland. It's one of 6 wellness centers in the country approved by the National Fraternal Order of Police; a badge of honor for Beyer, an EMT who founded the facility in 2015.
“I'm a recovering alcoholic of 30 years and had a lot of emotional and mental health pain in my life and I opened a center to help people who suffer from the same thing I suffered from,” said Beyer.
The highly confidential, highly secured and monitored facility is run by current and former first responders: a team of psychiatrists, nurses, and therapists. They also have a rapid response team of hostage negotiators and interventionists.
“Everybody who works here knows what it's like to hold a dead baby and that's really important for the immediate connection between the provider and the patient,” said Beyer.
“We recently had one in North Carolina where a trooper dry fired a weapon in his mouth prior to his shift,” explained Beyer, “fortunately it didn't go off, but he did pull the trigger.”
The center welcomes first responders from 40 different states, the jurisdictions are all represented by plaques that adorn the walls of their "Roll Call Room" – a room where first responders report, not to duty, but to group therapy.
“I was expecting to try to save my job to save my career, but it turned into something a whole lot better than that,” said Havre De Grace police detective Joseph Cooper.
Cooper has been clean since his arrest for disorderly conduct. He stayed for the 28-day treatment and continues therapy with peer support.
“It was years and years of not talking about things that bothered me,” said the detective, “self-medication, depression.”
“I was very much in denial that anything was going on,” said former Baltimore City police officer Robert Quick. Quick spent 26 years with BPD and arrived at Harbor of Grace when his job was on the line.
“I never did use alcohol on the job but did indeed fail a “breathalyzer” test because I was indeed intoxicated from the night before,” said Quick.
Quick ultimately lost his position at the police department but is now working at the center trying to help others avoid his own pitfalls.
“I think the stigma is going away it's all trending in the right direction but there's still a long way to go,” said Quick.
Beyer said officer wellness is becoming a priority in a growing number of police departments including Baltimore, New York, and the District of Columbia.
“An MPD officer designed this,” said Beyer as he walked over to a plaque on the wall depicting the capital building and the number 8 on top, “they have 7 Districts in DC, and they call us 8D.”
In the acute medical building, white noise welcomes patients who are monitored by nurses 24/7. The grounds, the gym – even the artwork on the walls were all designed by Beyer, for the first responders who need rescuing themselves.
“I got the help I needed I'm moving forward,” said detective Cooper.
“I believe the place saved my life,” added Quick.
“This is a place where they get their soul back,” said Beyer, “there needs to be more places like this there's simply not enough.”