Off-Duty Chicago Police Officer Found Dead In Apparent Suicide

CHICAGO — An off-duty police officer died Monday night at a Cook County forest preserve in what authorities believe was the fourth suicide of a Chicago Police Department officer this year.

Paul Escamilla, 40, was found dead by Cook County sheriff's police officers around 7 p.m. in the Bunker Hill Forest Preserve near the intersection of West Touhy and North Caldwell avenues on the border of Niles and the city's Edgebrook neighborhood.

"Debilitating news for the #ChicagoPolice family as we come to grips with the unthinkable loss of a dedicated police officer to suicide tonight," Gugliemi said in a tweet.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office scheduled an autopsy Tuesday to determine Escamilla's cause of death. He would be the fourth Chicago police officer to die by suicide in the first nine months of the year.

The 17-year police veteran was assigned to the 24th District in Rogers Park. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Escamilla came from a police family and was the type of role model that many seek to be.

Guglielmi said Escamilla had most recently had been assigned as an aide to Michelle Rubino, the commander of the Rogers Park district. He said in a statement that Escamilla had been very well-liked and news of his apparent suicide was "hitting the district exceptionally hard."

Our hearts are heavy tonight as a we mourn the loss of a dedicated Chicago Police officer. We extend our heartfelt thoughts and deepest sympathy to the officer’s family and friends, and to his brothers and sisters in the 24th District.
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) September 17, 2019

The Chicago Police Department has one of the highest rates of suicide in the nation — 60 percent higher than other police departments, according to the Department of Justice, which recommended an increase in the number of available mental health counselors. Last year, the department began the "You Are Not Alone CPD" suicide prevention campaign and increased its number of counselors from five to 11.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, nearly twice as many officers have died by suicide than have been killed in the line of duty in the past decade. A psychologist who specializes in offering treatment to law enforcement told the paper many officers are afraid to seek counseling or risk losing their job as a result of a state law restricting firearm ownership for those who have been involuntarily committed to in-patient mental health care facility.

A study published last year found both police and firefighters nationwide were more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. In 2017, 140 police officers killed themselves compared to 129 who died in the line of duty, the study found.

CPD's employee assistance program offers emergency assistance at 312-743-0378 and peer support program is available 24 hours a day at 312-672-9973.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, help is available from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273-8255.