‘I Got Your 6 Tour’: Former Washtenaw County deputy aims to raise awareness about police suicide

WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – A former Washtenaw County Sheriff’s deputy is working with his wife to raise awareness about police suicide and mental health.

Jeff Carek said he lost two partners to suicide and shortly before he retired he was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety. Carek and his wife, both live in Ferndale. They’re going on a grueling bike ride to raise awareness about mental health issues that impact police officers.

The couple will start their bike ride at Detroit police headquarters on Aug. 28. They’ll bike and camp, aiming to cross nearly 700 miles before they end their trip in Washington D.C. on Sept. 5. They’re hoping to raise money along the way.

“I lost two partners over the course of my career to suicide, plus several other friends,” Carek said. “We are human beings and we experience a vast amount of trauma over the course of our careers.”