A retired New York City police officer has shot himself dead at his Orange County home, becoming the 11th active or retired cop in the department to take their own life in 2019.

Jose 'Joey' Pabon, 49, killed himself in a shed at his home in Goshen, NY, early Wednesday morning, local police said.

Pabon retired from the NYPD four years ago, ending his career in the Internal Affairs Bureau. He joined the department in 1993.

Police say Pabon's wife discovered his body, and he did not leave a note.

The NYPD is facing a suicide crisis - with the number of deaths so far this year already significantly higher than in previous years.

In the past five years the department has seen, on average, 4 to 5 suicides per year.

Jose Pabon, a retired sergeant is the 11th active or retired NYPD cop to kill himself in 2019

Tragic NYPD suicide toll Retired sergeant Jose Pabon , 49, died in September, four years after leaving the department

, 49, died in September, four years after leaving the department Retired transit officer Edward Rosa died in September

died in September Officer Robert Echeverria , 56, a 20 year veteran died in August

, 56, a 20 year veteran died in August Officer Johnny Rios , 35, died in August

, 35, died in August Transit police sergeant Terrance McAvoy , 30, died in July

, 30, died in July Domestic violence cop Michael Caddy died in June

died in June Bronx cop Kevin Preiss , 53, was found dead at home in June

, 53, was found dead at home in June Detective Joseph Calabrese , 58, was found dead in June

, 58, was found dead in June Deputy Chief Steven Silks , 62, was found dead a month shy of his mandatory retirement in June Advertisement

Nine active duty members of the NYPD have killed themselves so far this year. Pabon's death is at least the second suicide of a retired cop in the same period.

After the seventh suicide in July, Police Commissioner James O' Neill told CNN, 'Am I scared? I've got to be honest with you. Yeah, I am. Maybe there's somebody out there right now that's in crisis or approaching crisis and just unable or unwilling to come forward.'

But retired NYPD Detective Steven Gates told the DailyMail.com it's unfortunately nothing new, saying: 'Sad to say I've seen this before in the mid to late 1990s.'

A disturbing 2018 study by the Ruderman Family Foundation shows that police officers and firefighters are more likely to die by their own hands than in the line of duty.

Last month Johnny Rios, 35, died of self-inflected gunshot to the head at his Yonkers. Rios' partner at the 50th Precinct Kevin Preiss was one of four cops to kill themselves in June.

In the same month, Deputy Chief Steven Silks, 62, just a month shy of his mandatory retirement, was found dead.

The NYPD had no time to grieve as the next day officers discovered the body of missing detective Joseph Calabrese, 58.

Johnny Rios, 35, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in August

Two officers died in suspected suicides within 24 hours of each other. Deputy Chief Steven Silks (left) was found dead in a police vehicle in Queens on June 5. Detective Joseph Calabrese (right) was found the next day at a Brooklyn beach

Veteran NYPD cop Robert Echeverria (above), 56, was found dead after an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He had served in NYPD for more than 25 years and was part of a special group

Domestic violence cop Michael Caddy died was also found dead in June, while transit police sergeant Terrance McAvoy , 30, died in July.

O' Neill said the department is taking a proactive stance toward mental health.

Eight-hundred members of the executive NYPD staff are undergoing retraining with experts on mental health, stress and suicide. The goal is to eventually train the entire department, CNN reported.

But Patrick Lynch, President of the Police Benevolent Association, said in a statement, 'They should focus on rolling back the policies that make our job harder and more stressful while offering nothing in return.

'And they should focus on ensuring that cops aren't penalized for asking for help. The best way to help cops right now is to stop using us as political props or punching bags and start treating us like human beings.'

Joseph Imperatrice, founder of pressure group Blue Lives Matter NYC, said in a statement, 'In the past couple of weeks we have had two retired NYPD sergeants take their lives. That does not include the nearly 10 active NYPD members added to that list.

'This is an epidemic. An epidemic that is a sensitive subject and a slippery slope. We as a city need to somehow come up with options, not so called solutions, that are actually going to make an impact in fighting this demon we call suicide.'