police officers with MS

I am trying to research police officers with ms and how they fared with their employer. I am recently diagnosed and am receiving the runaround from my dept.

Any info or help would be appreciated.

Hi - Through doing fundraising for www.myelinrepair.org , I came into contact with a nice gentleman (police officer) with MS, here, in Rhode Island. I do not feel I can give his personal info out, but if you send me your e-mail address, I will pass it on to him. My e-mail address is DPrestinRI@Cox.net.
Thanks and Good Luck!
Diana

For real hope, visit www.myelinrepair.org !

Jim wrote:

I am trying to research police officers with ms and how they fared with their employer. I am recently diagnosed and am receiving the runaround from my dept.

Any info or help would be appreciated.

I worked for Chicago P.D. until i was no longer able to walk. Jim the space provided for replies isn't sufficient. My e-mail is jjp476@iwon.com. Contact me for further info

Hi, Jim:
I have passed your e-mail address on to another officer I know of who is dealing with MS, and I have asked him to "make contact" with you.
Be well!
Diana

Jim wrote:

I am trying to research police officers with ms and how they fared with their employer. I am recently diagnosed and am receiving the runaround from my dept.
Any info or help would be appreciated.

Jim, I am a veteran Officer who has had MS for 10 years. I am still on patrol. When I have to take time off due to MS my Department makes my Dr. "certify" me for duty all over again.This is the only real problem. I do have concerns as to which medications I am on due to the fact our life can become an open book in court. Also I have run in to a problem with workers comp not related to MS.

Jim my e-mail is macfire3@verizon.net

I also sent this to your e-mail:

My name is Michelle. I was researching what the policies are for police officers with Multiple Sclerosis. I cannot believe I found someone from Rhode Island. I currently live in East Providence, Rhode Island.

I am a 24 year old female. I attended Roger Williams University. I was 19 when I graduated with my BS in Criminal Justice. I was diagnosed with MS 3 weeks before my graduation. I deiced to stay in school and double major. Therefore at the age of 22 I received a BS in Criminal Justice and a BA in Sociology. I gave up my dreams of becoming a police office. However after the last 4 years of being in the workforce, I am not happy. I still want to become a police officer.

I am in great physical shape. My condition has not affected me. I have only had 2 relapses with in the past 6 years. I know I am physical and mentally capable of completing the Academy. I know at a federal level I am automatically ineligible for employment due to my neurological condition. However can I still apply at the city level?

Any information you can provide me with would be greatly appreciated. Also please forward this to your friend with MS, his impute would be valuable.

Thank you
Michelle
Chell327@aol.com

I am an officer in Ohio. I was diagnosis with MS a little over 2 years ago. I have not yet informed my employer of my MS. I would love to hear from other officers and their experiences before I notify my employer.

I am a police officer in Winchester, VA. i am still going through the testing for MS but my neurologist says the tests so far are highly indicative i have MS. He also advised me to notify my employer of the possibility of having the disease, as i may become a liability to the department. If anyone has any insight or personal experiences with this problem, please feel free to email me at johnfblake@hotmail.com as this problem is really stressing me out. i get up to work in the morning excited to be working. this is the only job i have ever felt like that and if that gets taken away, i don't know what i will do.

I waited 14yrs to inform my employer. I notified them when my abilities declined.
I also loved the job. When i notified the dept. i was placed in a administrative position.
It completely destroyed me! I realized i was fortunate to still have a job. Except it wasn't the same. I lasted another 10yrs. It was ten miserable years! Then i retired. My email address is jjp476@iwon.com

I am a police officer in Utah. I was diagnosed last December with MS. I disclosed my disgnosis to my employer shortly after being diagnosed due to the severe symptoms that I was experiencing that led up to the diagnosis. After being medically cleared I was allowed to return to regular duty. I'm happy to talk with you about my experience. ppd4220@yahoo.com

Jim,
I am a police officer in Australia (New South Wales). I was diagnosed January last year, but was suffering MS related symptoms 6 months prior. I immediately told my employer and have been office based ever since, although I held out hope of returning operationally until last week when I was told I have primary progressive MS. Plus the look of striking an offender with my walking stick instead of my baton would not be good. I am not surprised by my office based position as I have totally lost feeling in my body, with numbness to both hands, arms and legs. I am also going through the intial stages of a hurt on duty claim againt the police force. I had a car accident on duty 3.5 years ago, and are trying to prove on the balance of probabilities that the trauma from the acco triggered my MS. My email address is deanne@deetswoodwines.com.au.

how have the other officers in your departments treated you, knowing you have ms?

The Officers on my department have been very supportive. No one really treats me any different but from time to time people will ask how my health is. So far the Officers' attitudes are along the lines of, if I'm able to do the job the way it needs to be done they don't care. I'm one of the lucky ones from what I hear about other experiences.

It is good to talk to people that are in similar situations. I have had MS for 11 years now and have been in the police dept. for almost 9 years. I know that my physical abilities are dwindling some but I am still fairly athletic and can do what I need to. It's still a chore. I want to divulge my condition but fear that their isn't a desk job for me anywhere. I'm struggling with the decision every day and don't know how to handle it. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

Jim wrote:

I am trying to research police officers with ms and how they fared with their employer. I am recently diagnosed and am receiving the runaround from my dept.
Any info or help would be appreciated.

Jim: I hope you are doing well. I am a (now) retired Sgt from a N/W suburb of Chicago. I did a lot of researc h before disclosing to my PD because I had read and heard so many horror tales. I had contacted MS sites, etc for the info. I thought everyone would be understanding and work with me. I went from running the Juvenile programs( DARE. Officer Friendly)I was named Officer of the Year for everything I had done and the image I had created for our dept in the communities. From May to Sep (when they fired me) I now became the worst police officer they had hired, most of my fellow officers were now scared to work with me (after my administration decided everyone should know, after I asked for confideniality, I became one of the horror stories I had read & heaqrd about. Have your ducks in a row before disclosing so if you find you were wrong in thinking you worked in a understanding, Mayberry envirinment you have yourself protected. I found that once it came out My meeting with other officers during the shift, hanging with most after work evaporated. It was ressolved after a 4-5 year discrimination lawsuit. I would have liked finishing my career differently but I now am a retired Sgtfrom that dept. Note I have a had little contact with most everyone at that pd since my departure.

Check for law firms like Equip for Equality in your state.

Good luck, don't let the stress affect your MS.
Stay Safe!

I am very interested in pursuing a career as a law enforcement officer or a youth correctional counselor. I have MS and am 30 years old. I was diagnosed during my last semester of college (22 yrs old)

I live a mostly normal life. I can do 5 hours of yardwork, play contact sports, lift heavy objects,wretle with my 4 year old, etc. My issue is always optical neuritis. I will get this every so often and it is usually cured with a steroid in a couple of days. I am on Rebif and my MRI scan has hardly changed.

Just curious if there is anyone with the same goals and have any tips on conditioning for POST Academies (especially for people with MS).

Jim wrote:

I am trying to research police officers with ms and how they fared with their employer. I am recently diagnosed and am receiving the runaround from my dept.
Any info or help would be appreciated.

When I got diagnosed 2 years ago I thought it was going to be the end of my police career. I have a decade of law enforcement under my shield and was afraid it was going to effect it. I never took sick leave so I had a lot of time accumulated and when it all began I ended up using a nice chunk of it until I got control of what was going on. My MS affects my right arm and being right handed dominate it opened a whole new can of worms for me. Not to toot my own horn but during my 10 years I did everything to help and serve my department. Im a single guy so that was easy just made my social life difficult (lol!) anyways I sincerely think it depends on your department and co-workers. The minute I officially got diagnosed my Chief and Patrol Sergeant were very understanding. I was given a medical leave and when I came back I did a review board to show that I can still perform my duties. I also got medically cleared by the physician who conducts are annual physicals. Im taking Copaxen and Avonex (MS RESEARCH STUDY) and knock on wood so far so good. My dept understands my days when Im not there due my MS. I ensure my shift isnt shorted and if allowed make it up to who ever had to cover for me. I still give alot to my department and they dont treat me any different. Im lucky and seizing wall I can while Im still able so when and if that time comes my time here is reflected for some courtesy to a good officer.

We had an officer who was a year away from his 20 yr retirement and his knees gave out alot and could no longer perform his duties. Because he was a good officer/sergeant and man my department placed him on a light duty status and he assisted with dispatching and got his retirement. So again I say I honestly think it comes down to your department and keeping them well informed and educated on MS. I had 14 officers walk the MS walk with me and 7 Bicycle patrol officers ride the bike ride for MS with me. They all helped me raise over $15,000 for MS since being diagnosed. If there is anything I can do to help any officer with MS drop me a line wolverine3041@hotmail.com

MS isnt my weakness it became my strength because I now shoot better than ever with my left than I ever did. I dont let it run me...I run it 5-O style!=)

Take care,
Shawn

I am going through the same thing right now and am wondering what is the best thing to do. I was informed to make sure that my medical insurance does not lapse and am worried that they will let me go having this desease. If anyone could email me with any advise from experience. Please email me at repoguy1975@yahoo.com My symptons are numbness in my left abdomen and tingling throughout my left leg. This has been going on for about a week now. I am very scared.

koakes wrote:

I am an officer in Ohio. I was diagnosis with MS a little over 2 years ago. I have not yet informed my employer of my MS. I would love to hear from other officers and their experiences before I notify my employer.

I was able to remain a functioning and, I believe, effective police officer for eighteen years after being diagnosed with MS. The last two years were the worst because the MS evolved to primary progressive. I finally had to take my retirement and go on disability. My advice would be to hang in there and maintain a positive attitude. I'd also talk to your doctor about any meds you can take to hold off progression of the MS as long as possible.