Dear Senator Duckworth,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for S. 4514, the “Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act,” and ask that you consider working with the National FOP to expand the program it establishes to include all law enforcement officers.
Law enforcement officers work in a difficult and dangerous profession that can be taxing on their mental health. This includes those who serve as corrections officers, as they are often physically and, in some cases, sexually assaulted by the inmates with whom they interact every day. Unsurprisingly, these hardworking officers have suicide rates significantly higher than the national average—a sad statistic which is true for all law enforcement officers. It is important that these officers, who risk their lives every day, have access to the most comprehensive and timely mental healthcare possible.
Your bill would establish a grant program that would provide funding to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, States, and localities to carry out mental health screenings and provide referrals, where applicable, to mental healthcare providers for corrections officers who are struggling with their mental health. Improving the mental health of these officers could save their lives. Your bill also includes a safe harbor provision to ensure that a correctional officer does not suffer any adverse employment effect while seeking or receiving mental health treatment. Overall, this legislation would help correctional officers do their jobs safely and more efficiently and will certainly help with the current recruitment and retention challenges.
The FOP supports this legislation, but we would additionally like to work with you to increase access to these mental health resources and protections for all law enforcement. We need to do more as a country to support our men and women in law enforcement and bring attention to the mental health needs of these officers and we appreciate your leadership on this issue.
On behalf of the more than 382,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I appreciate your leadership on this issue and look forward to working with you and your staff to improve access to mental wellness resources for correctional officers, as well as all other men and women serving in law enforcement. If I can be of any help or provide additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President