By James R. Scott, The Chicago Times
May 19, 2024
CHICAGO – The death of an off-duty Chicago police officer found in his West Loop residence on Thursday has been ruled a suicide by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
According to CPD, the 29-year-old male officer, whose name has not been released, was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head at approximately 2:35 pm inside a home on the 1600 block of West Warren Boulevard.
This is the second CPD officer suicide reported this year. In April, 54-year-old Celal Cenker Surgit, a veteran of nearly two decades with the department, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his West Ridge home.
CPD has faced scrutiny in recent years for its lack of adequate mental health resources for officers. A 2022 report by the city inspector general highlighted these deficiencies, just weeks before a cluster of three officer suicides within a single week. The US Department of Justice reported in 2017 that the suicide rate among Chicago police officers was 60% higher than the national average for law enforcement.
CPD currently employs 18 counselors for its roughly 11,600 members, falling short of its goal of assigning a counselor to each of its 22 police districts.
The officer’s death has reignited concerns about the mental health well-being of Chicago’s police force. With two suicides in just five months, questions are being raised about what the department can do to better support its officers and address the factors contributing to this alarming trend.
The Chicago Times 