The U.S. Department of Justice has designated the death of D.C. police officer Jeffrey Smith — who took his own life after helping defend the Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot — as having occurred in the line of duty, granting his widow access to hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal benefits, according to the family’s attorney.
It did so under a law amended last year to make it easier for families of officers who die by suicide to access death benefits, marking a shift in how the government treats first responders who suffer mental health crises arising from what they encounter on the job.
D.C. retirement board grants full pension to widow of officer who took his own life after Capitol riot
Her attorney, David Weber, said the federal decision means Erin Smith is now entitled to $370,000, as well as other educational benefits.
Weber called on the White House and Secretary of the Army to allow Smith to be inurned next to U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who suffered two strokes and died a day after the Capitol Riot, at the Arlington National Cemetery.
The Thursday ruling was at least the second time the Justice Department has granted line-of-duty designation to an officer who died by suicide after the Jan. 6 riot.
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The U.S. Department of Justice has designated the death of D.C. police officer Jeffrey Smith — who took his own life after helping defend the Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot — as having occurred in the line of duty, granting his widow access to hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal benefits, according to the family’s attorney.
It did so under a law amended last year to make it easier for families of officers who die by suicide to access death benefits, marking a shift in how the government treats first responders who suffer mental health crises arising from what they encounter on the job.
D.C. retirement board grants full pension to widow of officer who took his own life after Capitol riot
Her attorney, David Weber, said the federal decision means Erin Smith is now entitled to $370,000, as well as other educational benefits.
Weber called on the White House and Secretary of the Army to allow Smith to be inurned next to U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who suffered two strokes and died a day after the Capitol Riot, at the Arlington National Cemetery.
The Thursday ruling was at least the second time the Justice Department has granted line-of-duty designation to an officer who died by suicide after the Jan. 6 riot.
The original article contains 469 words, the summary contains 217 words. Saved 54%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!