Nov. 7, 2022 1:30p
(WGTD)---The suicides of two of his officers within five months in 2010 prompted then Kenosha police chief John Morrissey to get actively involved in suicide prevention efforts within law enforcement and beyond. Most recently, Morrissey, who currently holds the position of City of Kenosha administrator, has co-authored with nine other professionals a white paper on the topic.
Speaking on WGTD’s Education Matters program, Morrissey explained that the guide is designed for human resource personnel and employment lawyers. It urges employers to be more aggressive in identifying employees with problems, getting them the help they need and changing cultures within work places. "You break your leg and everybody and their brother comes out to support you during that time," he said. "You have a mental health issue and it's like the plague--no one wants to be near you. So getting rid of that stigma is the number one thing."
Morrissey said he realizes that identifying workers with trouble that might be keeping them from reaching their full potential can involve costs for employers. "But can you afford to have employees working for you that aren't providing the services that are required of them?" Morrissey counters. "If they're so focused on being an outcast...they're not doing that."
Morrissey is a strong believer in peer support groups, saying that he's personally aware of five officers that took advantage of such a program at the Kenosha Police Department and were able to turn their lives around.
-0-