Suicide in Law Enforcement... What can be done to prevent it?

There has been a silent statistic within the law enforcement profession that has been unspoken for years. A line that is drawn deeply and permanently between two deaths. One, whom we call a hero when dying in the line of duty. The other, a mere whisper that an officer has died. That growing statistic is law enforcement suicide. 

Suicide is not a popular topic in the law enforcement culture. Quite frankly, it's not a popular topic period. The goal of this blog entry is to focus on suicide in law enforcement because one suicide is one suicide too many.

For several years, the popular numbers given for annual police suicides were catastrophic - 300, 400, 500 and even higher. The numbers were so high it was believed nothing could be done. “Every 17 to 21 hours,” cried one source, “a police officer takes his or her own life!”   (This equalled as many as 515 officers per year!)   The studies vary widely and often times add more confusion than clarity.  One thing that the studies seem to agree on is that over the past several years, the suicide rate among law enforcement officers has been shown to equal or surpass the rate of officer's who died in the line of duty.  I think everyone can agree that one suicide is one too many.  Rather than argue about statistics, let's focus on what can be done to prevent suicide.
 
There is no easy or full proof way to identify which officers are most at risk for taking their own life. Every officer has his or her breaking point. The stresses of daily life, coupled with stresses from tragic/critical events, can push a police officer to end his/her life. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress and depression before an officer reaches that breaking point is essential.
 

The top predictors for suicide for anyone are:  a diagnostic mental disorder, alcohol or substance use, loss of social or family support, and the availability and access to a firearm. 60% of the general public and 90% of officers commit suicide using a gun. Additionally, about 90% of the time, an officer is drinking heavily when he/she kills himself/herself.

 

While officers generally operate well under stress, too much stress may have disastrous outcomes.

As we learn more through research and study it becomes obvious that suicide is merely “the tip of the iceberg” in comparison to the more important issue of mental health in law enforcement. 

 

It may well prove impossible to develop a program that can identify and prevent 150 suicides in a force of almost a million police officers. It is clear, however, that when efforts are focused on mental health, instead of the narrower “suicide prevention,” there can be benefits that include not only suicide prevention, but fewer:
 

• Officer deaths from shootings and accident
• Lawsuits
• Complaints
• Sick leave
• Alcoholism
• Substance abuse
• Criminal/other behaviors
• On and off-job injuries
• Divorces
• Grievances
• Resignations
• Morale problems, and much more.

Many obstacles may prevent an officer from seeking professional help for his or her depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts. There are concerns that if they tell their chain of command their careers will be ruined, they will be determined not fit for duty, their gun will be confiscated, they will be viewed as weak and all hopes of advancement will be destroyed. They may fear being terminated. There is always a fear of confidentiality. The officer worries about the reactions, including further alienation and retribution from peers. The stigma of mental illness remains rampant among many law enforcement officers. The idea of needing help implies cowardice and/or an inability to fulfill the role of an officer. Officers with a history of depression or anxiety are identified as the weak-link, the officer who folds under pressure. So the officer tries to solve his or her problems personally and quietly, often with disastrous results.

Virtually all suicides are preventable with appropriate intervention. Departments can help reduce the risk of one of their own taking his or her life.   Suicide awareness training for officers and command focusing on identification of at risk officers, prevention programs and training are some of the ways to help reduce the risk of suicide among law enforcement officers.

Here are some policy suggestions to be implemented in Departments:

• Conduct psychological pre-employment screening of all law enforcement applicants.
• Assess individuals seeking high-risk/high-stress job assignments (undercover, special weapons team, homicide, etc.) for personality/job match and the ability to cope with the inherent stressors.
• Provide education to personnel and their family members regarding depression, suicide, stress management, and available employee assistance or counseling resources. This is particularly important because studies maintain that 80 percent of people who commit suicide have communicated their intent to commit the act.
• Conduct middle-management education on depression, signs and symptoms of suicide, and appropriate policy and procedures should an employee be identified as possibly suicidal.
• Make resources, including chaplains, peer support, 24-hour hot lines, and mental health personnel available to department personnel and their family members.
• When assisting the officer in finding treatment it is wise to consider utilizing an outside therapist. An outside therapist, not involved in the police departmental process, may seem more trustworthy to the officer. A department psychiatrist may have more knowledge of the officer and his or her current pressures. However, the department's clinician may also be involved in evaluating the officer's mental status in regards for fitness for duty.  The officer, psychiatrist, and department need clarification related to the officer's confidentiality and the chain of command prior to initiating therapy.
• Track individuals who meet specific at-risk criteria either because of life events (divorce, under investigation, for example) or because the individual shows significant signs and symptoms of distress (sudden drop in performance, increase in complaints, anger, negativity).
• Debrief after high-stress incidents.
• Debrief in the event that an officer succeeds in completing suicide. Officers are frequently referred to as brothers and sisters; survivors of the suicide of a family member are up to nine times more likely to commit suicide themselves in comparison with the average person.
• Provide retirement transition seminars and assistance to prepare individuals for the emotional and social changes that will occur.

The overall department goal should be to assist officers in finding treatment where his or her needs are best met. 

Need a resource for training or support services? Try the National P.O.L.I.C.E. Suicide Foundation.

Here are some other resources that might be helpful in developing department policy:

In Harm's Way Toolkit: Law Enforcement Suicide Prevention
QPR Institute ...Advanced Suicide Prevention Courses for EMS, Corrections, Law Enforcement
International Association of Chiefs of Police... has information about suicide and resources available.
The Police Chief has a section on suicide prevention with resources listed.


If you are an officer reading this, you may know a peer at risk. As an officer you are frequently called to check the welfare of a citizen, to possibly prevent a suicide. As a peer you must do the same for another officer. Be aware of signs that someone may be suicidal such as:

• Talking about suicide
• Making statements related to hopelessness or helplessness
• A preoccupation with death
• A loss of interest in things the officer once cared about
• Making detailed arrangements related to insurance and finances
• Giving away valued or prized possessions

Notice what is going on in his/her life.

• Is he/she recently separated or divorced, did he/she lose custody of a child?
• Has he/she been involved in a critical incident or under scrutiny by an internal affairs investigation?
• Is the officer pulling away from others, is job performance suffering?
• Is he/she having increased medical complaints, does he/she leave work or miss work frequently?
• Do you suspect he/she is abusing alcohol or other substances?
• Do you see a red flag or have a gut level concern?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, do something now!  Ask the officer what is going on in his or her life. Ask if they are okay and how they are handling a current stressor. Ask them if they feel depressed, and ask them about suicidal thoughts. Help them get the help they need before they take a life - their own. If they won't seek help on their own go to a trusted supervisor, the chaplain, your union representative or the department clinician with your concerns.  You are willing to go to any lengths for an officer who needs assistance on a call; do something today to prevent the loss of an officer by his or her own hands! 

***Update - While doing some further research and chatting with people I learned that one main emotion is often missing with the affected individual and that is happiness.  However, the last few days after the person has made a conscious decision to take their life, they feel peace and happiness. That is when everyone thinks they are fine and the crisis is over but in reality the end is near. If you notice someone exhibiting signs of suicide one day and uncharacteristically happy the next, take action!

 

If you are an officer who is hurting and contemplating suicide, reach out now!  There are many people who really do care about you, who really do want to help you, who don't want to attend your funeral.  Here is a list of Helpful Suicide Prevention Resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Helpguide.org

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Suicide Awareness Voice of Education (SAVE) 

National Institute of Mental Health

Suicide Prevention Resource Center

National Center for PTSD

Tears of a Cop (there are many resources listed here specific to law enforcement)

Badge of Life (another source specific to law enforcement and suicide prevention)

Seeking help is a sign of strength not of weakness. It is the first step in reestablishing control in your life. Always remember when there is life there is hope!

 

Why am I writing a blog entry about suicide in law enforcement? I am not a law enforcement officer. I have worked in the healthcare field for more than 20 years.  We may work in different career paths but helping others is what you and I are meant to do.  I have an "adopted" family which includes retired and current police officers.  I have many friends currently on the job in law enforcement, fire and ems.  If I can't be there to help them when they need help, I hope someone else can be.  I know they would be there for me if I needed their help!  And last but not least, I am posting this entry because a friend recently lost her husband (a deputy) to suicide.   Any suicide is one too many!

 

 

Any law enforcement suicide is one too many.