Dallas police chief calls for more mental health awareness after officer commits suicide

DALLAS – A Dallas police officer committed suicide this week just one day after he was involved in a police shooting.

Officer Matthew Bacon was involved in Monday’s shooting death of a man wanted for a Dallas murder. He had been with the department for 18 years.

Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said he and others spoke with Officer Matthew Bacon after the deadly shooting, and no one saw signs that he was hours away from suicide.

“So, emotions are raw,” Garcia said when talking about Bacon.

Bacon, who was an 18-year veteran of the department, took his own life Tuesday, one day after he and three other members of the U.S. Marshals Service’s North Texas Fugitive Task Force shot and killed an armed man wanted for murder, 36-year-old Corey Thomas.

“We have units that are going after the worst of the worst that society has to offer, day in and day out,” Garcia said of the task force.

The department said the task force located Thomas inside a pick-up truck at an Oak Cliff apartment complex.

Thomas reportedly pointed a gun at the officers, and all four fired at him. Thomas died. 

No officers were injured. 

The only video that police released related to the investigation is from a surveillance camera that does not show the confrontation.

But in the audio, officers are heard telling Thomas to get his hands up or show his hands.

Police provided a photo of the handgun they said Thomas pointed at them, along with ammunition.

The investigation is ongoing.

Chief Garcia said he and other members of the department spoke with Bacon after the shooting.

“And they never saw the signs,” he said.

Garcia said mental health is a conversation sometimes frowned upon in policing.

“If I would’ve turned to my partner in ‘92 and told him, ‘Hey, that call kind of screwed me up a little bit,’ my partner would’ve looked at me and said, ‘Dude, we need to suck it up. We got 10 more hours,’” Garcia said. “If I would’ve said those exact words to a sergeant or a lieutenant in 1992, and this is not just me or my department in 1992, this is, I would argue, any police officer in 1992, that lieutenant would’ve looked at them in the eye and said, ‘Maybe this job isn’t for you.’”

Last year, the department created a wellness unit.

It’s made up of seven officers who proactively work to boost and maintain the mental health of ones in the department.

“When people ask you, ‘How are you doing today?’ Everyone’s normal answer is, ‘I’m doing good, I’m doing good.’ Even when you’re not doing good. When you’re not doing good, you say, ‘I’m doing good.’ We need to get to the point where, you know, ‘How are you doing after that?’ ‘I’m not doing too well.’ Alright, well, let’s talk and make it O.K. to say I’m not doing too well after that. It’s that simple, it’s that simple, but also that difficult because I understand the culture,” Garcia said.

It’s not known what was going through Bacon’s mind.

Chief Garcia said this was not Bacon’s first officer-involved shooting, and the department will elaborate with details next week.

“He had been involved in another shooting,” Garcia said.

The department said Bacon leaves behind a wife.

“At the end of the day, man, I want my officers here at DPD, you know what I want, I want them to retire and I want them to be with their loved ones when they leave,” Garcia said.

None of the task force officers involved were wearing body cameras due to a federal memorandum.

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line).

CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.