Most of us don't give it a second thought when we call 911 or our local emergency number. The people on the other end of the phone take our calls. Soon, someone arrives to help us. Police officers, firefirghters and a host of other First Responders come to our rescue. Be it a car accident, a cat in a tree, a fire, fighting terrorism, or a hostage situation, they come to our aid. Without fail, we can count on them to get us through our crisis.

As heroic as they are, these vallant men and women do become affected by the events they deal with in the line of duty. They also become very good at hiding how they feel after a long day of saving us. Depression and PTSD, among other health issues, can be the result. Sometimes, when the stressors of the job are bottled up and become overwhelming, we lose a hero to suicide.

For many reasons, the actual suicide statistics for those "Behind The Badge" are under reported. Some agencies report that twice as many officers die by suicide than are killed in the line of duty.

The next time you come across someone "Behind The Badge" remember to thank them for all that they do.

If you know an officer who is suffering, please reach out to them. Do whatever it takes to keep them safe. For information on how you may help, visit the resources at the bottom of this page or click the "Home" button below. There is a wealth of information on our site and in our online library.

If you would like your loved one "Behind The Badge" included on this memorial, click on the email link at the bottom of the page. Send their name, their dates, city, state, and country that they lived and worked, agency they worked for and their rank and badge number, if applicable. You may also include a photo and memorial website link. We welcome those from countries outside of the U.S. to submit to this memorial. We will add your submission at our first available moment. You need not be a member of our organization or any of our affiliates to send a submission.