Over 150 Minneapolis policemen and women have applied for disability for PTSD and half of those officers have been ordered not to go back to work by their doctors as they undergo treatment for the disease. Many of those officers were from the Third Police Precinct the night that antifa and BLM took over the building. It is claimed that some of the officers wrote goodbye texts to their families thinking that they would not survive the night.
The police situation is made worse since the officers have gotten no support from city officials and have suffered derision from the city council. The city will have to pay through the nose if all one hundred and fifty are awarded disability pensions. They might have to cut back on sending social workers out in hostage situations and leave the hostages to their own devices.
Ron Meuser, who handles most disability claims for the Minneapolis Police Federation said:
“The symptoms didn’t just start six weeks ago. They’ve been dealing with symptoms for decades.”
“They did not feel they were going to come home. Some officers were texting their families’ goodbye and others were saving a bullet in case they needed to take their own life, rather than being beaten to death."
Asked if those seeking disability are retaliating against the City of Minneapolis, Meuser denied that is the case.
“I’ve looked them in the eyes, not one of them is attempting to get out of working,” said Meuser. “Every one of them, to a man and woman, said, 'I never thought I would be leaving this way.'"
Meuser added that most of the officers seeking disability are veterans of the department with 16 to 23 years of experience.
Recent changes in state law have made it easier for law enforcement to claim their jobs caused post-traumatic stress, instead of other factors like previous military service or home life.