The Uniform’s Heavy Burden: A Silent Cry for Help

The Farmington community is utterly devastated by the news that Pete Zajac, a highly respected 15-year veteran of the Farmington Police Department and beloved School Resource Officer (SRO), died by suicide. The shock of this tragedy is immediate and profound: a man sworn to protect, who spent his life serving others, was fighting a silent, crushing battle of his own. This shocking, heartbreaking incident tears away the veneer of strength often associated with law enforcement and spotlights the urgent, hidden mental health crisis within the ranks of those we rely on most.

The Empty Seat: A Hero’s Unfinished Watch

Officer Zajac’s passing leaves a void that stretches from the police department’s patrol routes to the halls of Farmington Area Public Schools, where he was a trusted mentor and familiar face. His 15 years of dedicated service defined him, yet the anguish he endured ultimately defined his final moment. The community is left grappling with the incomprehensible truth that the individual tasked with offering help and hope to others could not find it for himself. Mourning Pete means acknowledging the immense, cumulative trauma carried by first responders—trauma often hidden beneath the badge until it manifests in the most tragic way possible.

Turning Grief into Action: The Promise to Speak Out

In the midst of this overwhelming sorrow, the Farmington community and fellow officers are rallying not just to grieve Pete Zajac, but to honor his memory by finally breaking the silence around mental health in law enforcement. His death must serve as a painful, urgent call to action—a promise to prioritize the psychological well-being of all officers, ensuring that resources and support are accessible and de-stigmatized. Pete Zajac was a hero in life; in death, he compels us to look beyond the uniform, see the human being, and foster a culture where asking for help is an act of courage, not a sign of weakness.