Former Chicago police officer dies by suicide on Saturday, just 10 days after retiring from the department

Chicago, Illinois – CALL THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE IMMEDIATELY if you or a loved one are experiencing emotional distress in the Chicago area. The crisis center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offers free and private emotional help to anyone in need. Dial 1-800-273-8255 to speak with someone at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Or you can send the word HOME to 741-741. (Crisis Text Line).

Officials say that a former Chicago police officer committed suicide on Saturday afternoon, barely 10 days after he had retired from the force.

At around 2:10 p.m., the body of 52-year-old Timothy Nelson was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head that appeared to have been self-inflicted. interior of a residence located in the Jefferson Park District, according to the police and the office of the medical examiner for Cook County. It was determined that he had passed away at the site.

According to the announcement made by the medical examiner’s office on Sunday, his death was determined to be a suicide.

After three police officers in Chicago committed suicide, the senior cop defends the department in the face of growing criticism.

The top police officer in Chicago responded on Monday to growing criticism of his policy of routinely canceling days off, insisting that the contentious practice has been standard operating procedure for decades and is subject to stringent oversight. The recent suicides of three Chicago police officers prompted the criticism.

According to a tweet that was posted by Ald, the former cop had retired ten days before to that. Ray Lopez, who is running for 15th district mayor,

A spokesman for the department has verified that the officer has retired, but they won’t specify when.

Earl Kelly, who was 51 years old at the time of his death, took his own life on September 1, a day before Nelson did.

On Twitter, police spokesperson Tom Ahern confirmed the officer’s death and stated that the officer was off duty at the time of the incident. Officials with the police department have stated that they would not provide any additional details regarding the circumstances surrounding the death, including the time that it was reported.

It was the most recent incident in a series of police officer suicides that have occurred this summer. As a result, Supt. David Brown has come under intense scrutiny for routinely canceling days off for officers. This is because the department is dealing with staffing issues and has had trouble recruiting and retaining officers.

The toll of working weeks without time off and working long hours were accused by family members of some of the cops who passed away during a rally earlier this summer as the cause of a spate of suicides that occurred during that time period.

The suicide death of Sgt. Andrew Dobda, age 47, occurred on July 17, just one day after the suicide death of Officer Durand Lee, age 42, who died at his home.

Officer Patricia Swank, 29, also took her own life earlier in that same month before she passed away.

Brown announced about a month ago that he would be making some changes that would provide cops with more time off. The alteration in policy took place just one day after the city’s Inspector General Deborah Witzburg released a damning report that demonstrated the department scheduled nearly 1,200 officers to work at least 11 consecutive days earlier this year.

According to the new regulation, the majority of police are only allowed to have one of their scheduled off days canceled per week.

When Brown made the announcement of the shift, he emphasized that maintaining “the physical and emotional welfare of our officers” as the department’s top priority will not alter.

Since 2018, the Chicago Police Department has received reports of over a dozen people who have committed suicide. According to a report published by the Justice Department in 2017, the suicide rate within the department was sixty percent higher than the norm for officers across the country.

Through its Employee Assistance Program, which can be accessed at (312) 743-0378 for more information, the city makes counseling services available to its workers and the families of those workers.

People who are going through difficult times can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at any time at (800) 273-8255 for assistance.