User Reviews

An insightful film that really hits home. You can't help but empathize with the cast and applaud their bravery for sharing their stories. Code 9: Officers need assistance touches on the essence of how the job affects us differently. A must watch for every cop and their loved ones. Understanding is the first step.

This film is a must-see for all first responders, their families, and anyone who cares about the people who sacrifice everything for their calling. This film is the first to delve deeply into the psychology of those who lay their lives on the line to protect others, and who routinely see things that are worse than most of us can even imagine. This gives us all a peek behind the steel curtain that first responders must erect to maintain a semblance of normalcy, and to try to remain functional despite chronic and traumatic stress. Please take the time to view this excellent documentary. You will never look at your local fire, ems, or police officer in the same way after you've seen it.

This is a tough time in the United States for the police, as many folks have been protesting real and perceived police brutality in several widely publicized cases. Yet, despite all this acrimony, I strongly urge everyone to see Code 9: Officer Needs Assistance regardless of how you feel about these issues. The film does a great job of humanizing the police and it also helps you to understand the cases where officers react poorly towards the public and why there's often a WE versus THEY attitude.

The purpose of the film is to bring to everyone's attention just how common and debilitating mental health issues are for most folks in law enforcement. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder not only is common but an almost unavoidable part of the job....yet it's very seldom talked about and little, if any, help is available to these cops who are emotionally impaired by their experiences on the job. According to Code 9, there is a widespread macho attitude that seems to say that police should somehow be above mental health problems and they should just 'suck it up' when it comes to dealing with the pain of dealing with death. Plus, if they ask for help, they might actually be jeopardizing their jobs or a chance at promotion! Their fellow officers often feel callous towards these emotionally wounded officers as do the local governments which employ them. Yet doing this creates more seriously impaired officers because they have no outlet for their problems...officers often resort to using drugs and alcohol to stop the nightmares and allow them to sleep, officers who have hair-trigger anger problems as well as officers who are completely ineffective or even suicidal. Common sense would say that cops should routinely be offered mental health counseling as a normal part of the job--and we've accepted that this is a need for soldiers. After all, seeing a dead child or someone whose death was extremely violent would have a horrible impact on anyone. Yet, surprisingly, the way most police departments deal with these symptoms of PTSD is to fire the officers...leaving them in many cases with no pension and no way to pay for much needed psychotherapy or substance abuse treatment for real psychological injuries received in the line of duty.

The film deals with this crazy situation by showcasing a wide variety of police officers--from small towns, large ones and even officers in Canada and Australia. Each is given a chance to talk about their experiences and archival footage is also used to tell their stories and narration is minimal--allowing the officers to speak for themselves. Many of their stories include the painful loss of friends on the force who ended up killing themselves to get away from the stress, the horrors of finding accident victims in pieces (something that apparently every police person has to deal with sooner or later) and the awfulness of dealing with the deaths of small children and teens. Their stories are heartbreaking and you can't help but shed a few tears as they talk about what they've seen. Additionally, these same officers then talk about how symptoms of their psychological problems came out and how the departments refused to deal with the problems and gave them no chance to receive the help they need. It's a tough job...but cities that just cast aside these wounded warriors is hard to fathom and the film is intended to educate the public about this problem as well as try to change public policy. On the positive side, the film's director and head of the Code 9 Project, Deborah Louise Ortiz, has said that a few departments are changing for the better and mentions Mesa, Arizona as the model police force as they are one of the few which is proactive in dealing with the everyday stressors on their employees.

Why do I give the film a 10, a grade I very seldom give to any film? There are three reasons. First, like any good documentary, it has a very strong emotional impact and challenges the viewer towards taking action. Because of this, the fact that the film had me bawling is a very positive thing. Second, I was a psychotherapist and am very familiar with PTSD and its accompanying depression, anger and substance abuse issues. I often had patients who were suffering from PTSD and the film does a marvelous job of explaining this mental disorder and its treatment in a way that all of us can understand. Third, although Ortiz and so many people associated with the movie were not professional filmmakers, the overall quality and technical aspects of the picture are superb and I cannot imagine how the film could have been made any better. It is a perfect documentary. And don't just take my word for it, as when it was shown the audience broke into huge rounds of applause and the picture received the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film at the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival. In my opinion, it was the best film of the festival...and that's saying a lot because I saw a lot of great films there. I can't wait to see what Ortiz and her organization do next...good luck!

this movie is a must see. if you have any family member that works in law enforcement in any way then you should watch this film. it is an excellent documentary that explains the trauma that all areas of law enforcement experience all the way from the beginning phone call to 911 operators to the finished call with officers and first responders of every kind on scene. it really hits home with me as i was diagnosed with PTSD. please take time to watch this film.

I was involved with this documentary from the very beginning. I reached out to the director to help fund the film initially. In discussions with her, this turned into the opportunity to tell my story of how PTSD has affected my life as a police constable. There was a need to tell the story so other First Responders and military serving and veterans do not feel alone. We all did this film so that others would know they are not alone. We did it because we have a voice so many have lost. Seeing the film for the first time sent chills down me for the real, raw, emotional toll that first Responders are living with. There is help out there. Keep looking until you find it. There is strength in numbers. We hope you know how important your job and life are. We continue to work towards awareness and reducing the stigma of PTSD. The documentary is brilliant.

Code 9 Officer Needs Assistance .is a hard hitting film that explores PTSD and Police Suicide as you watch the film you cant hold back the tears . when you hear the officers and retired officers talk about what they have seen on the streets in the line of duty, and the affect that it had on them. a lot of people don't know or understand why law enforcement officers suffer from PTSD- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. which come from the job. i cried when i watched the film you may ask your self why did i cry. because i am the brother of Detective Joseph Gibson Philadelphia Police Dept sadly my brother took his own life in Dec 2010 my brother Joseph was honored in this film

I am asking every Law Enforcement Officer if you need help please reach out and get the help you need

Vince Gibson

Code 9:Officer Need Assistance

This movie is, in my opinion, the best and most accurate descriptor of the darker side of law enforcement. It is "in your face" with data and personal stories about the real struggle officer's face, whether after a single specific horrific event, or cumulative exposure to the dark underbelly of society on a day to day basis, or a combination of the two. Deborah Ortiz stepped out on a limb and with her heart of gold, poured herself into this tremendous project. She dared to speak out and after her movie was released has created a domino effect in tearing down the walls and stigma associated with PTSD/PTSI (it is considered an injury), a grass roots movement has been started to address this silent killer and what it does to first responders and their families. It also illustrates the reluctance of politicians and police hierarchy to step up and do the right thing, which in this day and age is both immoral and unforgivable. Cops are routinely tossed aside like garbage and labeled as crazy once they tip their hat and ask for help. Help is what they deserve, and people need to be educated on how the first responders get that help. Police officer suicide is reaching epic proportions and the trend of ignoring the problem and abandoning officers is to blame. It continues and it needs to stop! Please watch this movie and educate yourselves, and when you hear of a first responder in trouble, do something about it! speak out about the mistreatment to your local public officials, write letters to your state and national leaders and tell them "enough is enough." The horror stories you hear about "us" are real. Thank God for Angels like Debbie, who are fearless in her endeavors to heal first responders and save some lives in the process. God bless this most worthy project and lend a hand after you have been educated! Thanks to everyone involved in the making of this film, and thanks to the first responders who weren't afraid to tell their stories. Don't take what you see as signs of weakness, stepping up and talking about it takes guts and a warrior spirit like you wouldn't believe!

Powerful documentary which opens the eyes of viewers, and hopefully, other police officers.

PTSD is sadly often considered a weakness, especially in the world of law enforcement. Fear of being looked down upon, appearing to be weak, vulnerable, etc. We see through these heartbreaking interviews that officers are not just one sum of people, but rather, human beings with the same emotions and vulnerabilities that inhabit all of us. This documentary makes us very aware of what so many officers see in their daily lives. Innocent, mangled bodied in car accidents, sudden suicides 10 feet away, enormously stressful quick decisions under the most high pressured circumstances.

It was very sad to hear them talk about how it was their childhood dream to join the police force--the happy early days before their eyes had been soaked in reliving the most horrific events that are imprinted forever. (Nathan's interviews had me weeping).

Beautiful, powerful, and in the end -- hopeful. This is a much watch documentary.

Extend your hand...

I intended to watch this because I have family in law enforcement and was curious about the subject matter, but i really had no idea of the journey it would take me on. It ended up being much more than educating and interesting...it had me glued to the screen for its duration! You will end up feeling like you want to be part of a movement to make a difference after watching this and you will feel how real and raw these stories and emotions are...I mean, nothing was held back and the effort put into its direction really shows throughout without a moment lagging. Not only powerful, but it pulls you in and it's definitely a must see documentary that I would recommend to anyone!

Our society is dependent on our First Responders and I think we've forgotten that they are human - just like the rest of us. We expect, possibly demand, that they do whatever they do without a single thought as to them being human-beings. They are not machines, they are not perfect, they are not superhuman - they are ordinary people that do extraordinary things, often at personal expense.

This documentary sheds light on the people behind the uniforms, both the First Responders themselves and their loved ones. It provides a glimpse of what they experience and how that impacts their lives. It reminds us that there is a human-being behind the uniform. It also raises awareness that traumas needs to be treated and psychological traumas should be treated with the same protocol and provisions as physical ones.

Please watch this documentary and please encourage others to watch it. Our First Responders are there for us - we need to be there for them.

Let me preface this by saying I am a retired law enforcement officer that retired due to injuries sustained on the job. I watched this movie with open mind and can tell you it hits you right in the...guts. The stories told by the individuals personalizes the horrific illness know as PTSD. We were taught to "Suck It Up" "It's Your Job". But we too have families we go home to after our shift,we have lives to live outside of the job but yet we become forgotten we we have a problem as we had no one to talk about it with...That was a sign of weakness! Until now...Code 9 Officer Needs Assistance is an outstanding,real life look into PTSD in the Police Field. I strongly recommend every law enforcement office take a look as well as others outside the profession to see what it is like to put on a badge,gun,and a vest to go to work.

This film is such an eye-opener to an epidemic that is taking the lives of those who are willing to help and defend us all, our First Responders. It exposes the tragedy of the limited resources available to these brave and hurting officers who are NOT getting the proper skills they need to deal with the emotional trauma that they must endure. CODE 9 is there to try and change that and let our First Responders know that they are not alone. CODE 9 is offering resources to help. I urge First Responders as well as civilians to watch this film and donate what you can to this wonderful organization. Help save the lives that help to protect and defend us! My 15 year old son watched it with me and said "I have a whole new respect for Cops and First Responders everywhere." And in the climate of the country today, it's a good thing to hear. So, watch the film and lets give the care and respect to these people in Uniform that they so need and deserve.