SEATTLE — Code 4 Northwest, a crisis hotline for first responders, is seeing an uptick in calls as law enforcement in western Washington grieve the loss of two of their own.
"We're seeing people reach out department-wide,” said Nick Bauer, operations director for Code 4 Northwest. “Dispatch units, other departments because situations like this, not one, not two officers shot but three, two dead in two weeks, it has implications for all law enforcement because we all feel like targets now.”
Bauer said across the profession, there's increased anxiety and depression among officers and their families. He said the recent deaths of Pierce County Deputy Dom Calata and Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha are taking a toll.
"The keyword I keep seeing and hearing is enough. Enough is enough,” said Bauer. “When are we going to stop being the pariahs of society?"
Since 2020, the call line has seen a significant increase in traffic. Bauer said before the COVID-19 pandemic people would talk on the hotline for roughly 500 minutes per month. The organization has since seen a five-time increase, averaging 2,500 minutes a month.
"The frequency of calls has gone through the roof,” said Bauer. “The severity of calls has gone through the roof. An interesting statistic, or I guess reality, is spouses and children of first responders have surfaced with some fairly major issues.”
Bauer has 30 years of experience with law enforcement as a sergeant with the Seattle Police Department. Bauer said he was offering counseling support at Calata's funeral on Friday when he heard the news Rocha had been shot and killed.
"It was a palpable change,” said Bauer. “You could literally feel this heaviness in the air. My biggest fear through all of these situations is officers start to lose hope."
Code 4 Northwest is free, confidential and available 24/7. The hotline's number is 425-243-5092. It can help with referrals for drug and alcohol treatment, post-traumatic stress disorder resources and general counseling. Bauer encouraged members of law enforcement and their families to reach out.