When officers retire, all of the emotions and experiences that they had pushed down throughout their careers may begin to affect them (Kirschman et al., 2014). Some reports suggest that, because of these emotions and experiences that went unaddressed, there is a higher rate of suicide in retired officers; however, evidence suggests that retired officers are less likely to die by suicide than those who are active duty (Violanti et al., 2012; Violanti et al., 2011). Interestingly, though, Violanti et al. (1998) found that there is an increase in suicide rates right before retirement, and therefore, speculate that there is a period of high distress during this time. These unaddressed experiences and emotions may also manifest in physical ways, as Branl and Smith (2012) report that retired police officers demonstrate poorer health outcomes than those in other occupations. In fact, Kevin Gilmartin, a police psychologist, points out the long-term effects that a career in law enforcement can have on an officer, as well as their family. Gilmartin (2002) states that, “the veteran officer retiring after twenty or more years of service may not even vaguely resemble the positive, committed, and motivated recruit who began the journey. The scars, both physically and emotionally, are all too often clearly visible” (pg. 5). This quote emphasizes the importance of teaching officers how to achieve optimal well-being while they are active duty, instead of waiting until they reach retirement. This is supported by Smith et al. (2021) who suggest that police officers should be exposed to wellness resources both during their careers, and during their retirement.