The Brief
- LASD Deputy Nicole Otis Santos died by suicide on June 2, 2023. She was 31.
- She’s one of 13 current and past department members who have died by suicide over the last two years.
- Nicole’s parents, who are both retired from the LASD, are now speaking out about issues in the department.
LOS ANGELES — Retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Chief Eli Vera says each time he hears about another deputy dying by suicide, it feels like reliving his own tragedy.
Sitting beside his wife, Eliza Vera, Eli says, “Every time we lose someone, it’s like you’re reliving it all over again. You feel their pain. You know what their parents, their siblings, their partners are experiencing.”
What we know:…