Susan Murphy-Milano...

Experts estimate that as many as 500 officers across the country kill themselves each year, though no central agency tracks police suicides. There have been at least 50 murder-suicides by police officers nationwide during the previous five years, and sociologists say the problem is growing. Officers who commit suicide commonly have a history of domestic violence. And law-enforcement marriages have a domestic-violence rate twice that of other couples, studies show...

The Orlando Police Officers and their wives: Police Officer Jose (Joe) Gomez, Serena Gomez - a clerk & former Eustis Police Dept. dispatcher, Police Cpl. Michael Mount (Gomez's former Training Officer and personal friend), and his wife Kimberly Mount whose father is Lake County Deputy Sheriff Walter Wolf & mother is a former Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant. The killing happened at the Gomez house off a road called "Cop Lane":

Two Floida police officers and their wives died of gunshot wounds early Sunday in what detectives are investigating as a triple-murder and suicide.

Investigators think Cpl. Michael Mount, 34, an eight-year veteran of the Eustis Police Department, drove his pickup to a rural neighborhood where his wife and stepchildren were staying with a fellow officer's family and opened fire before killing himself.

Lake County sheriff's Sgt. Christie Mysinger said a confrontation preceded the fatal shootings of Kimberly Mount, 35; Officer Jose "Joe" Gomez, 34; and Gomez's wife, Serena, 29.

Three children and Serena Gomez's mother were in the home at the time, but they were not injured, police said.

Kim Mount also worked for police department as an administrative clerk.

"At the department, we're dealing with the tragic loss of four members of our law-enforcement family," said police Chief Fred Cobb, who runs an agency with about 60 officers and staff in the city of 17,000.

The shootings occurred at the Gomez home in the Royal Trails subdivision about 15 miles northeast of Eustis on a street dubbed "police officers' row" by residents because several current and retired law-enforcement officers live there.

Serena Gomez's mother, Debra James, 48, also a guest at her daughter's home, heard gunfire and grabbed her 5-year-old grandson, Justin, then fled to a neighbor's house for help. The neighbor called 911 at 6:09 a.m.

When deputies arrived, they found Kim Mount's children, ages 5 and 10, unharmed in the house. David Greenspan, 65, who lives across the street from the Gomez family, said he saw deputies escort two young children dressed in pajamas and wrapped in blankets from the front door.

"It's devastating what happened to this young and happy couple," Greenspan said of the Gomezes.

Serena Gomez and her son spent the day at the Mounts' home in Tavares, Mysinger said. Mount and her children then went to the Gomez home for the night, she said.

Investigators are looking into whether the Mounts were having marital problems, according to Mysinger, who said there was no evidence of calls about domestic strife involving the couple.

"We don't know the motive yet," she said.

Joe, who started as an officer there in 2003, played Santa Claus at the town's annual holiday parties. Serena started as a police dispatcher in 2000, then became the town's assistant clerk.

Mount's former wife was stunned by the news; she described Mount as a good father but declined to talk about him in detail. His sister Karen Parks, reached by telephone in New Hampshire, would not discuss her brother. His parents could not be reached.

Mount, who got his promotion to corporal last month, was hired in 1997 and served as a training officer for Gomez. Cobb, the Eustis chief, praised Mount's work as a police officer.

Mount's wife is the daughter of Walter Wolf, a community-services deputy with the Lake County Sheriff's Office assigned to The Villages and a former lieutenant with the Florida Highway Patrol.

Cobb said Mount and Gomez appeared to have become good friends since Gomez was hired Nov. 7. Gomez had served 14 years with police departments in South Florida.

Experts estimate that as many as 500 officers across the country kill themselves each year, though no central agency tracks police suicides. There have been at least 50 murder-suicides by police officers nationwide during the previous five years, and sociologists say the problem is growing.

Officers who commit suicide commonly have a history of domestic violence. And law-enforcement marriages have a domestic-violence rate twice that of other couples, studies show.

The job of being a police officer is no walk in the park, it is extremely difficult watching human tragedy unfold before your eyes.  It is for that reason that police Departments across the country need to change how their departments deal with crime.  A program must be considered for all officers on the job.  As an example is not alright for an officer to say they need help on a personal level.  If they do it is often looked upon by others on the force as a sign of weakness.  Men in the military are provided various forms of support, then why not consider this for police departments.

Susan Murphy Milano is the daughter of a Chicago Violent Crimes detective who murdered her mother before taking his own life.  Since their deaths she has advocated for safety and awareness in the homes of law enforcement through legislation, the media ,published articles and books.