Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Job stress


Newly promoted CPD deputy chief dies in apparent suicide at Homan Square facility
The death of Deputy Chief Dion Boyd was announced by CPD Supt. David Brown, who urged officers to take care of themselves: “There is no shame in reaching out for help.” Boyd was sworn in as deputy chief of criminal networks on July 15.


By Frank Main, Manny Ramos, Mitch Dudek | Staff writers, and Sam Charles Updated Jul 28, 2020, 2:30pm CDT


Newly-promoted CPD Deputy Chief of Criminal Networks Dion Boyd (right) was sworn in during a promotion ceremony at CPD headquarters by retiring First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio on July 15. Boyd died Tuesday, an apparent suicide. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times



A newly appointed Chicago police deputy chief fatally shot himself Tuesday morning in the Homan
Square police facility on the West Side.

The death of Dion Boyd, 57, was announced at Chicago Police Department headquarters Tuesday afternoon by Supt. David Brown.

Brown, flanked by other members of the CPD’s leadership, said Boyd was “a respected command staff member” who’d been with the department for 30 years.

“There’s really no way to convey or express the magnitude of this loss,” Brown said. “We are shocked and saddened at the loss that is deeply felt by me and the many colleagues and friends with whom Deputy Chief Boyd worked and mentored throughout his career.”

Brown pleaded with officers to “always remember to take care of ourselves and each other.”

“There is no shame in reaching out for help,” he added. “Please, officers, please, stay humble, stay human, stay safe and stay well.”Chicago Police Supt. David Brown walks off the stage after a press conference about the death of Chicago Police Deputy Chief Dion Boyd, who was found dead in an apparent suicide at the CPD’s Homan Square facility Tuesday morning. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Boyd had been sworn in as deputy chief of criminal networks on July 15 in a series of leadership changes by Brown.

Boyd was previously the Area One commander on the South Side and commander of the Wentworth District.

His career included experience as a tactical officer, undercover officer in narcotics, homicide detective and internal affairs officer.

Police sources who have met with Boyd recently to discuss investigations said he was interested and upbeat.Chicago Police Department Deputy Chief of Criminal Networks Dion Boyd (right) with CPD Supt. David Brown at his promotion ceremony at CPD headquarters on July 15. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Those who knew Boyd said he struggled with the death of Samuel Jimenez, one of his officers in the Wentworth District, who was killed by a gunman at a Bronzeville hospital in 2018.

It’s not unprecedented for Chicago police officers to take their lives while on the job.

2018 was a particularly bad year for the department: Chicago Police Officer Brandon Krueger fatally shot himself in the head at a Far South Side police station. Also that year, Sgt. Steven Bechina of the department’s Mass Transit Unit fatally shot himself while on duty in the West Loop.