The Inside Story: Family blames Toronto police for officer’s suicide
Posted July 17, 2014 7:36 pm.
Last Updated July 3, 2015 11:21 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The family of a Toronto police officer who committed suicide last week is calling for an inquest into his death.
In the second of a three-part CityNews investigation, Avery Haines talked to Heidi Rogers — the widow of Sgt. Richard “Bucky” Rogers — and their daughter Lori, who blame the Toronto Police Service for failing to get him help for his mental illness.
Rogers went to his supervisors about a year go to tell them about severe stress, anxiety and panic attacks.
Instead of getting support, he was bullied, his family said.
Members of the force played practical jokes on him, hiding his memo books and tormenting him.
Rogers finally hanged himself and left a note with harsh words for the Toronto Police Service.
“I blame the Toronto police for putting me in this state,” he wrote.
The family believes his fellow officers lack proper training — even compassion — and that must end.
“I want to make some changes so this doesn’t happen to some other woman who comes home and finds her husband like that,” Heidi said.
Rogers was a 24-year veteran of the force.
