Widow of Daly City police sergeant shares loss, pushes for suicide prevention for law enforcement

DALY CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- The widow of a Daly City police sergeant who died by suicide is urging fellow officers to seek help for the trauma they face on the job, sharing her family's story in hopes of preventing similar tragedies.

Christina Hart provided video to the ABC7 Eyewitness News I-Team showing her view of the funeral procession for her husband, Sgt. Shane Hart, who was laid to rest in February. In the months since his death, she has spoken publicly about his struggles and the need for ongoing mental health support within law enforcement.

Suicide Prevention: Local resources for those in crisis

"Shane was a bright light," Christina Hart told the I-Team. She met her husband nearly 18 years ago, when he was a U.S. Marine and Scout sniper preparing for his first deployment. "He was deeply driven," she said. "There were so many qualities about him that inspired me."

Shane Hart deployed to Afghanistan's Helmand Province in 2009, where he experienced intense combat.

"He lost buddies over there and I remember him telling me graphic things that he saw and had to deal with," she said.

In an interview recorded before his death, Shane Hart recalled moments from his deployment: "And one of the ones that we did catch on video was a time an RPG got shot at us. It zoomed right over the top of our heads."

After returning home, Christina Hart said he often revisited memories of his sniper team, repeatedly watching videos and creating a memorial for fallen comrades. She noticed a significant change in his personality.

She said he was a different person than before he left.

"When I first met him, he was, you know, that confident social butterfly. But when he came back, it was just quietness, keeping to himself, not wanting to be in crowds.'"

Hart later joined the Daly City Police Department, where his wife said his confidence initially returned. He was promoted to sergeant and became a SWAT team leader. The couple started a family and purchased a home.

But over time, he struggled again.

"He struggled to even get up in the morning," Christina Hart said. "That was not Shane."

Christina Hart said her husband was open about the trauma he experienced as an officer, including responding to violent incidents. He sought counseling and took time off work, encouraged by his department. She monitored his well-being closely.

CHRISTINA HART: "You know, if I had to go run errands, I took him with me. And he was okay with that because he knew he couldn't trust himself."

DAN NOYES: "He was talking about killing himself?"

CHRISTINA HART: "He was telling me he had nightmares of it. And he was so scared and he didn't want to do it because he loved us so much."

In January, before taking their son to school, she recalled a final exchange.

"I remember before leaving out the door with my son, I looked at him and I said, 'You're going to be here when I get back, right?' And he looked at me and said, 'Yes.' And I trusted him. I trusted him."

When she returned home, she discovered he had died.

"As I'm driving back home up the driveway, I pull up and I saw him there on the ground," she said. "And I didn't want to believe what I saw."

In the funeral procession, Christina Hart and her son rode in a classic car her husband had restored.

Since his death, she has focused on raising awareness about the mental health challenges facing first responders.

Dr. Shauna Springer, an expert on psychological trauma and suicide prevention, told the I-Team that cumulative exposure to trauma can take a heavy toll.

"They just keep accumulating grief upon grief upon grief until they're really carrying 1,000 pounds of grief," Dr. Springer said. She advocates for ongoing mental health support within police departments rather than addressing issues only during crises.

"Imagine you have a bloody bar brawl and your teeth are knocked out," Dr. Springer said. "Is that the good time to find a dentist, or do you want to know who a good dentist is before you get in the bar brawl and have that person on speed dial so that when you hit a time of mental warfare, you can call a trusted doc and say, here's what I've got going on?"

National studies show that law enforcement personnel have a 54% higher risk of dying by suicide than civilians. Dr. Springer says police officers are sometimes reluctant to seek help with on-the-job trauma, for fear of appearing weak and affecting their careers.

Asked what message she would give to officers struggling with similar challenges, Christina Hart said: "Take time for yourself and your mental health and always speak about it. And you're not weak for doing so."

While research suggests smaller departments can experience higher suicide rates, Dr. Springer noted the Daly City Police Department is known for being progressive on mental health issues.

Christina Hart said she hopes sharing her husband's story will encourage others to seek support before it's too late.

If you are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises please call or text the new three digit code at 988. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.

Take a look at more stories by the ABC7 News I-Team.