ST. PETERSBURG – More police officers die by suicide than in the line of duty. Behind the badge, many carry invisible wounds and far too often suffer in silence. A growing movement in Tampa Bay is changing that.
Law enforcement officers from around Tampa Bay walked across the stage July 28 as the second graduating class of the Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association Applied Mental Health Advanced Technical Certificate for First Responders program at St. Petersburg College.
This year’s class includes graduates from the St. Petersburg, Tampa, Largo and Bradenton police departments.
Each graduate is driven by personal experiences:
- Detective Stephanie Blitz, Largo PD: A seasoned hostage negotiator, found herself in an unimaginable position when her husband was involved in an officer-involved shooting and she had to negotiate the scene. She says it highlights the importance of support after critical incidents for officers and their families.
- Officer Angie Torres, TPD: A U.S. Marine Corps veteran now serving in the department’s behavioral health unit, she is passionate about expanding wellness resources for officers. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in counseling to further support her fellow officers and military veterans.
- Retired Captain David DiSano, Tampa International Airport: Enrolled in the program in memory of several friends and co-workers he lost to suicide.
The certificate program was developed to expand on the mental health resources offered by local law enforcement agencies. It was a brainchild of Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association President Jonathan Vazquez and Executive Director/General Counsel Sasha Lohn, based on their experiences supporting officers facing mental health challenges.
Vazquez said you go to war with an expectation that people may die but he didn’t expect how many of his peers would return home safe only to later die by suicide.
“Law enforcement culture is a lot like military culture,” Vazquez said. “We need to talk about the hard things we see, hear, smell. We need to help each other.”
With legislative support from Florida Rep. Linda Chaney and Sen. Ed Hooper, the college developed and implemented the academic pathway, prioritizing the mental health needs of law enforcement officers.
Tuition for the six specialized courses in this three-semester program is fully funded thanks to this partnership and the continued support of the Pepin Family Foundation and Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Foundation.
“Officers are trained to respond in crisis, but too often, they’re expected to carry that weight alone,” said Tina Pepin, executive director of the Pepin Family Foundation. “We believe when officers are educated and trained in mental and physical resilience, they’re better prepared to care for themselves, their families, and the people they serve. This program is already improving lives across Tampa Bay.”
Greg Mertz, president of the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Foundation, said each officer that completes this program is helping shift the culture of law enforcement.
“This is how we stop trauma, burnout and suicide from spiraling,” Mertz said. “This is how we protect the people who protect us.”
This fall, the cohort plans to share what they’ve learned by distributing a custom challenge coin to first responders in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties. The front of the coin reads “First to Respond, Last to Ask for Help” with “We Fight as a Family, You are Never Alone” on the back. Each coin will be accompanied by a card and QR code linking to a vetted list of mental health resources specifically for first responders. A $5,000 donation from the Pepin Family Foundation is helping expand the reach of this initiative.
