Show notes
Welcome back to Just Breathe, where we explore the intersection of leadership and the science of self-regulation in public safety. This episode is unlike anything we've done before — over the next three episodes, we're going to talk openly about one of the most painful and often avoidable realities in public safety: first responder suicide. This is "The Lives We Don't Talk About." Our hope isn't simply to discuss statistics — it's to honor lives, learn from the research, challenge our culture, and equip leaders, agencies, and families with practical strategies that can help save lives.
Dr. Tracie L. Keesee is joined by Dr. Jeff Thompson, a research scientist and 20-year veteran of the NYPD, whose work has become instrumental in changing how law enforcement understands suicide prevention. Together they dig into why this subject stays buried in silence, why the data alone can never tell the full story, and why the goal isn't just keeping people alive — it's helping them thrive.
A note before you listen: this episode includes discussion of suicide, trauma, depression, and cumulative stress. If you've lost a colleague, friend, or loved one, or if these topics are personally difficult, please listen at your own pace. If you recognize yourself in this conversation, know that asking for help is a sign of courage, not weakness — and you are not alone.
WHAT WE COVER
Why suicide remains one of the hardest topics to raise in public safety — and how stigma, not lack of concern, keeps the profession from talking about it openly
Why reducing suicide to a single cause or a "checklist" of warning signs misunderstands how complex and individual each case really is
Why statistics alone can't carry the full story — and why qualitative research and narrative are essential to honoring the humanity behind every data point
How career stage, organizational stress, and personal circumstance intersect differently for every person, and why the same risk factors can mean something entirely different at year two versus year twenty
The NASA astronaut model Dr. Thompson borrows for his work — why the goal for first responders, like astronauts, isn't just "getting by," it's thriving before, during, and after a career
Why identity — not rank, title, or years of service — is what so many first responders lose when they retire, and why that loss can feel like staring into an abyss
Why unresolved organizational stress, toxic workplace culture, and unaddressed bullying consistently rank as the number one stressor in policing, above the trauma of the job itself
Dr. Thompson's case against relying on peer support programs and therapy dogs alone — and why real resilience means asking what you're personally doing to shape the culture around you
Practical guidance for supervisors and leaders: get trained in peer support, learn how to ask directly about suicide, and know when your role isn't to fix the problem but simply to sit with someone
Why first responders become so skilled at hiding emotional pain — and the cognitive dissonance of excelling at the job while struggling personally
Why the skills built to check on coworkers need to come home too — checking in on spouses, kids, and neighbors, not just partners on shift
RESOURCES MENTIONED
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or considering suicide, call or text 988 or reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
CopLine — 1-800-267-5463 — a confidential peer support hotline staffed by retired law enforcement officers
Safe Call Now — 1-206-459-3020 — a confidential referral service for first responders and their families
Your agency's peer support team, Employee Assistance Program, chaplain, or mental health professional
ABOUT DR. JEFF THOMPSON
Dr. Jeff Thompson is a research scientist who develops and delivers evidence-based, practical intervention strategies to enhance resilience and support individuals' ability to manage crisis. He spent 20 years and 9 months with the New York City Police Department before turning his research toward suicide prevention, work that now spans first responders, the military, health care professionals, and others in high-stress professions. His approach draws on both qualitative and quantitative research, and includes work studying how NASA prepares, supports, and debriefs astronauts before, during, and after missions — insight he applies to how public safety agencies should care for people across an entire career, from recruit to retirement.
ABOUT THE JUST BREATHE PODCAST
Just Breathe with Dr. Tracie L. Keesee is a leadership platform for first responders and public safety professionals. Each episode explores how leadership, judgment, accountability, and wellness are shaped by the internal state of the leader making the decision — on the street, in the command staff meeting, and at home. New episodes drop every other week.
Control the breath. Control the moment.
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