KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Law enforcement officers are constantly responding to dangerous or traumatic sitations, and one North Carolina officer hopes opening up about his mental health struggles will help others. 

According to First HELP, an organization that tracks suicide rates in law enforcement, more than 1,200 public safety personnel died by suicide between 2016 and 2022 in the United States.

What You Need To Know

  • From 2016 to 2022, there were 1,287 public safety personnel who died by suicide in the United States

  • Two therapy dogs were donated to North Carolina police departments to combat mental heath issues with officers

  • Lt. Justin Smith, therapy dog handler, is a suicide survivor

  • If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988

Taylor Wise, owner of Dunkin’ Doodles in Waxhaw, said the May shooting in Charlotte where four law enforcement officers were killed called her to action. She donated two dogs to North Carolina police departments to offer support and comfort to officers as therapy dogs.

Four-month-old Phoebe was donated to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and her sister Millie went to Kannapolis Police. 

Millie has been assigned to Lt. Justin Smith, who shares for the first time publicly the impacts that a career in law enforcement can have on mental health. 

“There was an instructor that warned us that the things that we see, may not affect us right there but we’re going to put it in a box and then we’re going to put it on a shelf and eventually that box is going to become full and things are going to fall off,” Smith said.

Prior to his career in law enforcement, Smith served as military police in the United States Marine Corps. For over two decades in Kannapolis, Smith has served on the department in different capacities. He’s worked on patrol, criminal investigations, supervisor of felony investigations and now lieutenant.

In 2022, Smith says he tried taking his own life. 

“You know, two years ago… I had a lot of help with my family and brought me out of a really really dark place. So I was a suicide survivor. I attempted suicide a couple of years ago and I am just so thankful that I had my administration and the support that I had with my family to bring this on board and to just make sure that nobody ever is in that place that I was," Smith said.

Smith said sharing his story for the first time is in an effort to reach someone who might be struggling. 

“This is something I prayed about and felt called to go ahead and share. There are people who don’t have the support that I had or have," Smith said. 

Kannapolis police officers work in 12-hour rotations. Smith said when crisis occurs while he is off duty, he will always make sure he and Millie are available to his fellow brothers and sisters in blue. 

“My shift is always my shift. I’m a day shift officer. I try to get around on the other rotations to make sure they can interact with her. Anybody can call me. Any supervisor, any officer and we’ll be there," Smith said. 

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.