It is estimated that more law enforcement officers die from suicide than are killed in the line of duty each year, and currently, there is no unified effort to track officer suicides across the United States. Many departments lack the resources to provide mental health services to officers, and when officers do take their lives, their departments are often not equipped to effectively respond to such an incident. The physical and mental well-being of all law enforcement personnel is at the center of all of IACP s initiatives. In 2009, former IACP president Michael Carroll declared 2010 the "year of officer safety," and former president Walter McNeil renewed that pledge for 2011, emphasizing that suicide prevention would be a major initiative during his presidency. Successive IACP presidents have continued to stress the importance of officer mental health considerations, as well as a range of other important officer safety and wellness topics.
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