San Antonio Police Officer Served Multiple Tours In Combat--Life Ended in After Last Return

SAPD identifies officer found in apparent on-duty suicide
KCEN News
Apr 20, 2016

(KENS) - San Antonio police have identified an officer who they believe took his own life while on duty Monday morning.

Steven Franco, 38, was a 10-year SAPD veteran who also served multiple tours of combat in the U.S. military.

Franco was married to another SAPD officer and had children.

Police said Franco recently had returned from military duty and had bought a new home.
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Tuesday's officer suicide highlights mission of Chaplains for Justice
Program offers training, counseling for first responders
KSAT News
By Concetta Callahan - Anchor/Reporter
April 20, 2016

SAN ANTONIO - The newly formed Chaplains for Justice program aims to train and counsel first responders in difficult situations of grief, tragedy and post traumatic stress disorder.

Its mission is highlighted after San Antonio police Officer Steven Franco, 38, took his own life Tuesday in an apparent suicide.

"Seeing the difficult tragedies that occur and bringing people to justice, keeping our community safe, our law enforcement certainly goes above and beyond anything we could even begin to imagine," said Mary Beth Fisk, CEO and executive director at the Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health.

The center provides counseling with a faith-based approach.

Fisk said traumatic situations can sometimes evolve into mounting stress.

Officer suicides aren't common in San Antonio, but the national numbers are higher. According to a recent study, just over 100 law enforcement officers intentionally took their own lives in 2015.
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