Enoch, Utah — There are things no one should see. But on Enoch’s Wednesday night, some people had to see it.
Cedar City Police Chief Darrin Adams said: “First responders are being weighed down.
Police officers, medical workers, and other first responders were summoned to a home on Albert Drive in Enoch, Utah, where a man shot and killed his wife, mother-in-law, and five children before himself.
A sight that first responders will never forget, Adams ordered the three detectives who saw it all to see a therapist today and next week.
“Efforts to blame police and first responders for seeking help are making progress so far,” Adams said.
Cedar City is helping the Enoch Police with their investigation.
Adams was an advocate for police officer mental health for 20 years before this sort of thing was talked about as openly as it is now. Suicide rates among law enforcement officers remain higher than those on the job.
“We still have work to do,” he said. “I know there are still some agencies who are a little uncertain and some cops who are afraid of their jobs and don’t want to say anything. We need to put it aside and be vulnerable.”
In Cedar City, police officers regularly meet with therapists. The city also covers additional therapist visits beyond what insurance pays for, and has trained peer support officers to help you take that first step.
The city is also applying for several grants to help pay for mental health training and sessions. We’ve created a culture where police officers know it’s okay to ask for help.
“A supervisor said to a young officer, ‘Yeah, I’m going to therapy. This will help me,'” Adams said. “It just takes away that fear and the ability to say, ‘Yeah, I think I can do that.’ “
Then when a cop has to deal with a case like Enoch, he won’t have to go it alone.
“Gone are the days of just putting up with it and moving on,” Adams said. “We can’t do that anymore.”
