NORTHGLENN, Colo. (KDVR) — The Northglenn Police Department shared some very difficult news about a longtime detective who passed away last week.
According to a social media post from the department, Detective Paul Gesi died last week after a long and courageous battle with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. The department said his death, a suicide, reflects the silent struggles many first responders face and is a stark reminder of the mental health challenges within law enforcement.
‘His work left an indelible mark’: Northglenn police prepare to lay one of their own to rest
“More law enforcement officers die every year by suicide than are killed on the job in ways that we think about,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said. “We think about law enforcement officers risking their lives going into a dangerous situation where they could be shot or otherwise hurt. But the real danger in terms of number of lives lost is suicide, because trauma, which law enforcement officers live with on a daily basis, stays in the body.”
Weiser is the chair of the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board…