Arrr, the DOJ be declarin' that the Capitol police's demise be a noble 'line of duty' exit, matey!
2023-08-19
Arrr! The Crown's officers be sayin' that Jeffrey Smith, a brave soul who met his fate by his own hand after them capitol riots, be declared to have died whilst on duty! Shiver me timbers, a twist in the tale!
The Department of Justice has determined that a police officer who died by suicide after the Capitol riots in January 2021 died in the line of duty. Officer Jeffrey Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department took his own life following the mass protest and riots in support of former President Trump. His widow, Erin Smith, expressed frustration at being denied the line-of-duty benefits her husband deserved. However, she believed from the beginning that Jeffrey died in the line of duty from the injuries he suffered on January 6. Jeffrey was a 12-year veteran of the force and assisted Capitol Police during the riots, where he was struck in the head with a metal pole by protestors. Following the incident, he began to exhibit unusual behavior and slipped into a depressive state. He died by suicide on January 15, the day he was scheduled to return to duty.Erin fought for line-of-duty death benefits and advocated for changing the law to allow such claims. As beneficiaries of President Biden's Public Safety Officer Support Act, Jeffrey Smith's loved ones became the first to receive these benefits. The legislation provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and their survivors who die or become disabled as a direct result of an injury in the line of duty.
An attorney for the Smith family is also seeking permission to have Jeffrey interred at Arlington National Cemetery. During the Capitol riots, approximately 850 members of the Metropolitan Police Department were present to assist the U.S. Capitol Police. By the end of the day, an additional estimate of 250 MPD members had joined in the response and aftermath.