Daily Talker: Newtown First Responder May Lose Job Over PTSD

A Newtown police officer who responded to the Sandy Hook shooting may be fired because he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Officer Thomas Bean was off-duty last December 14th, but he went to Sandy Hook when he heard the call for help. He saw the bodies of 20 children and six adults, and is now on long-term disability after his diagnosis.

The problem is Connecticut is one of the few states where worker's compensation covers only physical injuries, not mental health care, including PTSD treatment. Bean says the city told him they can only afford to pay him two years of long-term disability.

"The men and women of the Newtown police department who did respond that day did their job," Bean said. "They lived up to their end of their contract. It's now time for the town to live up to their end."

The police union estimates it would cost taxpayers $350,000 to pay Officer Bean until his retirement in 12 years.

Should Newtown pay to keep him on disability, or should he have to find some kind of job with the department that he can perform? Leave your comments below.