CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department who passed away in July by suicide may potentially be the very first police officer in the United States diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to a recent report.

Brent Simpson, a K-9 unit officer, ended his life on July 1, and his widow learned of his CTE diagnosis earlier this year, she informed The New York Times. If this is confirmed, it would mark Simpson as the first recorded police officer in the country afflicted by this progressive brain condition.

CTE develops from repeated head injuries and can lead to issues with memory and behavioral changes. The disease is extensively recorded in professional sports figures, especially those in football, but it remains a rare diagnosis among law enforcement personnel.

In the wake of Simpson’s tragic passing, CMPD colleagues commemorated him with a special workout event on July 4. Participants donned weighted vests akin to the ones Simpson wore at work and engaged in a symbolic exercise routine: seven rounds for the month of July, a mile run representing the date, 24 push-ups for the year 2024, punctuated with 37 sit-ups and 76 squats to reflect his police code number 3776.

The department has not immediately responded to requests for comment about the CTE diagnosis.

Police officers routinely encounter various job-related dangers that might lead to brain injuries, such as car crashes, physical confrontations, and exposure to blasts or situations with head trauma potential.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or self-harm, help is available. You can reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or engage with them through online chat services. Additional resources are accessible in North Carolina here and in South Carolina here.

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