So last Wednesday in New York City, an EDP, job parlance for an Emotionally Disturbed Person, was out on the second floor of a building in Brooklyn, naked and swinging a florescent light tube at cops. Before you start getting funny about how harmless a light bulb can be, those guys aren't paid to get hit with light bulbs. The decision was made to hit him with the Taser, which shoots small barbs that can transmit electricity. The guy fell 10 feet, landed on his head, and died. A fluke.
The city came out immediately against the situation and the Lt. in charge was stripped of his gun and shield, which is perhaps the lowest point you can get to as a cop. And so it brought me incredible sadness to read this.
Police Lieutenant in Taser Case Commits Suicide
Just so you know there will be no department funeral for this man. He could have saved hundreds of lives over his 20 plus years on the job, but the city looks the other way with suicides. They're dirty and not to be spoken of. He wrote a note that said that he wanted his kids to be proud of him and not see him in handcuffs. We had an officer kill himself with his firearm in my precinct. There was no procession of motorcycles or thousands of cops to send him off. We had the 130 guys we worked with, his family, and one helicopter that our boss was able to get because he was head of the Emerald Society.
This is a huge issue. It hit a head in the NYPD in 1995, when 2 officers were killed in the line of duty and 15 committed suicide. I'll get off my soap box. I'll just say tonight to the family of Lieutenant Mike Pigott, I extend my sympathies and condolences. Your kids should be very proud of you, and a city should be thankful and sorrowful. Rest easy.
2 comments:
i read about this, and was so saddened by it. I've always thought that people do not appreciate the sacrifices that police officers make for the public... ummm... their lives? death is tragic in all circumstances, and it was an unfortunate accident... police don't have an easy job-- to protect and serve the public... not to mention, trying to make it home safely to their own families. that's sad that someone with that kind of commitment to the job, to the people he served... won't get the recognition he deserves.
Seriously......Police Officers, and Public Safety Employees do not get the credit they deserve, and I feel extremely sorry for his family.
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