Brooklyn Borough President Addresses Police Suicide In PSA

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — New video shows Brooklyn Borough President, and former NYPD officer, Eric Adams sitting alone in a dark room staring at a single bullet standing in front of him.

"We may think we only have this one shot," Adams says at a PSA released Friday, directed toward cops who may be considering suicide. "This bullet isn't the one shot you need."

The Brooklyn Borough President urged police officers to find mental health care about a week after Robert Echeverria became the ninth New York City police officer to die by suicide in 2019, amid what NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill is calling a mental health crisis.

The video encourages NYPD officers feeling depressed to seek help within the department and promises "getting help won't go in your file."

"No matter how physically strong you may be," Adams says, "the kind of mental strength required to witness and ingest hatred, violence, and stress in this career takes it toll on you."

Adams told the New York Daily News he himself never considered suicide, but struggled to deal with his mental health before starting a meditation practice.

"There was never a day when I wanted to put a bullet into a gun," Adams told the News. "But I just wanted to put all this madness behind me.”

Police officers can find mental health support from the following programs:

• NYPD Employee Assistance Unit at (646) 610-6730
• NYPD Chaplains Unit at (212) 473-2363
• POPPA at (888) 267-7267

Anyone struggling with mental health can get help by calling National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. New Yorkers can also find resources by calling 1-888-NYC-WELL.