Disturbing Statistics

So, my husband was cleaning out all of his binders and bags from academy this weekend...which involved quite a bit of recycling.  One page that caught my eye before it made it to the shredder was this list of stats from his "Emotional Survival" training:

police suicide rate is 3x more than normal

80% divorce rate and new officers divorce after 5 years

you will live 5-10 years after retirement

50% of all officer illness is psychological

every 24-52 hours a police officer commits suicide

To some degree...I can see truth in these statistics...but I'm not sure it's all that grim in smaller departments and rural areas.  I'm not discounting it, but I know several retired officers who have made it past the 5-10 year mark...plenty of happy, lasting marriages, and mentally healthy cops.  These are certainly issues to be aware of, but I don't think it's as negative as these stats make it sound.

Yes, police work is stressful.  But there are other stressful (even life-threatening) careers, and police aren't doomed to a life of loneliness, mental anguish, and depression.  I might even go as far as saying that depression, divorce, and suicidal thoughts are not really brought on by a law enforcement career, but rather they are already present and separate from the job.  Sure, the job can exacerbate things, but if a couple has a weak marriage, they have a weak marriage.  Having a police spouse might make things worse, but it isn't the cause.  Mental illness is also a pre-existing condition that can be made worse by the job.  Domestic violence?  A cop who beats his/her spouse would do so if he/she was a cop or not.  It isn't because he/she is a cop.  I think some of these stats are based on faulty correlations.  Maybe police work draws individuals who are more prone to anger, depression, and violence.  Well, now there's a happy thought.  Besides...once again, most of the cops I know are happy, generous, calm, and controlled.

Whatever the stats or reasons behind them...I suppose it isn't a stupid idea to at least be aware of the possibilities.  After all, knowledge is power and ignorance is never a good excuse.