Outcry Arises As Newtown Officer With PTSD Could Lose Job

A Newtown police officer who has dealt with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder since the events of Dec. 14 may be fired, union officials say, and some residents have raised a rallying cry to try to save his job.

Officer Thomas Bean, who has served 12 years with the department, is facing termination after going on long-term disability since responding to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
 
He wasn't given "any other option," union president Scott Ruszczyk told the News-Times, except "quit or retire under medical leave." But either choice would not keep his longterm disability benefits from ending after two years, Ruszczyk said.

A petition launched by Sandy Hook resident Karen Dryer on the website Change.org, headlined "Heroes should be honored, not fired and ignored!", has gathered more than 750 signatures as of Monday morning, 

"He needs and deserves support, not to be dismissed during this terrible time," wrote Dryer. "Sandy Hook is still grieving, we will never forget the victims and the heroes who helped in that horrific tragedy. The healing process is unique to each individual and Officer Thomas Bean needs our support."

In an appearance on NBC's "The Today Show" Monday morning, Bean said he drank, lost sleep and "wanted to cut himself" because of the trauma he experienced the day he responded to the shooting.

"There’d be times, like I’d talking to you right now and I’d be having video of everything I saw playing right there," he told host Savannah Guthrie.

Police union attorney Eric Brown told "The Today Show" Bean wouldn't be able to pay his bills if he took retirement now.

"He’s not eligible for disability retirement, and the town knows that, and resignation would essentially leave him financially destitute," Brown said.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe was unavailable for comment Monday morning.